Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (PlayStation, Xbox, PC, £69.99)
Verdict: Bring back the good Batman
At least half of my personality is based on Batman. And at least half of that is based on the Arkham games starring Batman.
So I’ve been a bit lost since the last game in the series, 2015’s Arkham Knight, and the apparent death of my role model.
But now, finally, there is a follow-up. Somehow.
With the morbid title Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, Arkham creators Rocksteady Studios reveal that Batman didn’t actually put him out.
Instead, he befriended Superman, Wonder Woman, and a group of other heroes, before (almost) all of them were overpowered by the super villain Brainiac and turned evil. So: Evil Batman now is.
Batman befriended Superman (pictured), Wonder Woman and a group of other heroes, before (almost) all of them were overpowered by the super villain Brainiac and turned evil.
It’s up to a group of ne’er-do-wells (the Suicide Squad of the title, including maniacal Harley Quinn (pictured) and gun-loving Deadshot) to take on the (former) good guys, save the world, that kind of thing.
It’s up to a group of ne’er-do-wells (the Suicide Squad of the title, including the maniacal Harley Quinn and the gun-loving Deadshot) to take on the (former) good guys, save the world, that sort of thing. .
As far as configurations go, it is quite attractive. And at first, the execution is decent too.
The new location, Superman’s city, Metropolis, is large and detailed. The voice work and animation of the antagonist-protagonists is some of the best I have ever seen.
The fighting and movement are very, very skillful. Even compared to the Arkham games, it’s clear that this is Rocksteady’s blockbuster.
But, after a few hours, doubts begin to arise. For a game that lets you switch between a giant shark-man and a boomerang-wielding Zoomster, all of the main characters feel a little the same in the hands.
The story ends up being an abrupt experience, rather than a luxurious one.
The new location, Superman’s city, Metropolis, is large and detailed. The voice work and animation of the antagonist-protagonists is some of the best I have ever seen.
The fighting and movement are very, very skillful. Even compared to the Arkham games, it’s clear that this is Rocksteady’s blockbuster.
But, after a few hours, doubts begin to arise. For a game that lets you switch between a giant shark-man and a boomerang-wielding Zoomster, all of the main characters feel a little the same in the hands.
And then everything becomes clear: unlike the Arkham series, this is one of those persistent looter-shooters that seemed poised to take over gaming about five years ago.
You should continue doing it, permanently online, with your friends. New stories, costumes and weapons will be added in the future, presumably for a fee.
Hmm. Maybe it’s time for you to find a new role model.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden (PlayStation, Xbox, PC, £49.99)
Verdict: Outstanding storytelling, standard gameplay
If there’s something strange about 17th century New England, who will you call? It turns out that the Banishers are a pair of sword-wielding, incantation-speaking freelancers who can, well, banish wandering ghosts back to the spirit world.
One is called Antea, a wise and worldly ghost hunter from Cuba. The other is Red, a Scottish lantern who is Antea’s apprentice and soulmate. They seem to be good at their jobs and good to each other… until Antea dies and becomes a ghost.
That’s the setup for Banishers: The Ghosts Of New Eden, but it also suggests many of the game’s charms.
Here is a wonderfully dark fairy tale, set in a carefully rendered world, populated by characters whose lives intertwine in meaningful and believable ways. And ghosts. Many ghosts.
If there’s something strange about 17th century New England, who will you call? Turns out The Banishers: a pair of sword-wielding, incantation-speaking freelancers who can, well, banish wandering ghosts back to the spirit world.
One is called Antea, a wise and worldly ghost hunter from Cuba. The other is Red, a Scottish lantern who is Antea’s apprentice and soulmate. They seem to be good at their jobs and good to each other… until Antea dies and becomes a ghost herself.
Here is a wonderfully dark fairy tale, set in a carefully rendered world, populated by characters whose lives intertwine in meaningful and believable ways.
Every time I wandered the New England countryside as Red, engaging in other people’s personal horror stories, weighing whether I should make terrible concessions to bring Antea back to life, I was convinced I was playing a game of the year contender. .
The sword and spell fights in Banishers aren’t exactly bad, they’re just very standard for this type of RPG adventure game.
It should come as no surprise that a game from French studio Don’t Nod (creators of the games Life Is Strange and Vampyr) excels in the areas of narrative and characters. And it really stands out.
Every time I wandered the New England countryside as Red, engaging in other people’s personal horror stories, weighing whether I should make terrible concessions to bring Antea back to life, I was convinced I was playing a game of the year contender.
The problem, however, is everything else. The sword and spell fights in Banishers aren’t exactly bad, they’re just very standard for this type of RPG adventure game.
The enemies, the semi-open world, the fast travel systems… it’s all very reminiscent of hundreds of other games you’ve played before, but in a game that could have stood out for its differences.
The result is a sometimes exhilarating and slightly disappointing experience.
Come for the supernatural romance; Return to the corporeal world when you have tired of the rest.