Rocksteady’sArkhamgames helped redefine the superhero genre in video games, and are some of the most acclaimed and beloved representations of the DC universe across all mediums. The studio’s upcoming titleSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguehad its first teaser trailer revealed at DC FanDome, and for the first time appears to see players leave Gotham for the high-rises of Superman’s home, Metropolis.
Metropolis has had many different iterations in the comics and across its representations. However, the teaser trailer forSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueleaves DC fans some big hints about what they can expect from Metropolis in theArkham-verse.
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The History of Metropolis
In the DC Universe Metropolis is one of the most populated and wealthy cities in the world. Like Gotham, depictions of Metropolis have always been heavily influenced by New York City, with legendaryDC comics writer Frank Millerclaiming that “Metropolis in New York in the daytime; Gotham City is New York at night.”
Metropolis has most commonly been depicted with bright art-deco style architecture in contrast to Gotham’s naturally gothic take on NYC. TheSuicide Squadteaser trailershows a city that’s far more colorful than any rendition of Gotham seen in theArkhamgames and most iterations of Metropolis, suggesting that Rocksteady is attempting to capture the same night-and-day relationship that Metropolis has been said to have with Gotham in the comics.
Judging by the trees, the game also appears to be set in the summer, with a far greener look compared with previous Rocksteady titles. The teaser trailer also appears to show downtown Metropolis in particular, with the LexCorp tower visible behindCaptain Boomerangwhen he says that “that should knock a few years off the old sentence.”
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Key Areas of Metropolis
In several iterations of Metropolis, the LexCorp tower is the tallest building in the whole city. This does not appear to be the case in the trailer, though it may be a matter of perspective. As well as downtown, there are a few key areas inMetropolisthat players may be able to visit inSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
Southside, also known as “Suicide Slum” is a run-down and crime-infested area of Metropolis. It is also whereLex Luthorgrew up in the Post-Crisis continuity. Not only is it aptly named for a visit by the Suicide Squad, but several stories have dealt with Superman’s inability to truly help the area. It is possible that failures like this could explain why Superman has become antagonistic in the new game, taking more radical action as his original good intentions spiral out of control. If something is manipulating him, it may have done so by exploiting this insecurity.
New Troy is Metropolis' largest borough and most consistently appears, with Planet Square standing in for Times Square in Manhattan. In several iterations, Centennial Park stands in for New York’s Central Park as well. Fans can likely expectRocksteadyto experiment, flipping theirArkhamformula from theirBatmangames for Metropolis’ design. In contrast to Gotham,Suicide Squadplayers can expect bright colors, green trees, and the almost cartoonishly exaggerated art-deco style seen in the background of the trailer. However, as with Gotham, fans can expect to see areas that appear to be beyond the help of superheroes.
This could pose a particularly interesting dynamic with theSuicide Squadin the city. Perhaps it is possible that theArkham-verse’s Metropolis will explore how, beneath its brightly colored surface, the city has problems which cannot be solved by individuals, even Superman. The set-up of the city itself could be used to explore the limitations of heroes like Superman, other Justice League members likeGreen Lantern, and even theSuicide Squaditself, which could prove very interesting if Superman is the villain as the trailer implies.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguewill release in 2022 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
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