DC’s supervillains set an incredibly high bar in Rocksteady’sArkhamgames. Rocksteady may be known for having developed a seminal experience playing as Batman, its accomplishments in depicting iconic supervillains cannot be overstated.Mark Hamill’s Jokerhas been a fan-favorite since his first appearance inBatman: The Animated Series, but many characters such as the Penguin, Riddler, Ra’s al Ghul, and Scarecrow have all had iconic looks and performances come from their Arkhamverse portrayals that will hopefully be reflected inSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
One of the most memorable parts of Rocksteady’s supervillains is how they appear in each title’s “game over” death screens to mock Batman and stand over his corpse. One supervillain who is largely misunderstood as a criminal is Mr. Freeze, who receivedan origin story inBatman: Arkham Originsand a heartfelt goodbye inBatman: Arkham Knight. It is unknown how many Arkhamverse villains might return forSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but Mr. Freeze would be an excellent character to see again after his devastating conclusion inArkham Knight.
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Batman: Arkham City’s Mr. Freeze Has One of the Best Fights in Gaming History
Mr. Freeze and Batman’s relationship inBatman: Arkham Cityis interesting since they both have access to something the other desperately needs, and therefore their actions are contingent on what they believe they can get away with. Batman is uncharacteristically disrespectful to Mr. Freeze when players find him, and Mr. Freeze returns that unkindness when Batman needs the cure for Joker’s tainted blood.
This results in one of gaming’s most memorable boss fights, one that tasks players with strategically attacking Freeze in a number of ways based on different mechanics. Players can stealth-attack from a corner cover, zip-line kick from the Line Launcher, takedown from beneath a grate, takedown via explosive gel planted on a surface, and any number of other options based on skills they have learned.
The trick to this fight is that each combat technique can only be used against Mr. Freeze once, requiring players to get creative with how they attack once his health is almost completely depleted. IfKill the Justice Leaguereprised Mr. Freeze, it could feel redundant to have him repeat his own boss fight from a previous game. Yet it would be phenomenal to see how that kind of fight would be designed inan action-shooter with traversal as unique asKill the Justice League’s.
Rocksteady’s interpretation of Victor Fries is outstanding, and it would be great for him to appear inSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguefor no other reason than to see what he is up to five years after the events ofBatman: Arkham Knight. However,Kill the Justice Leaguereprising Mr. Freeze would likely be a bastardization of the character in terms of where he was left at the end ofBatman: Arkham Knight’s “In From the Cold” DLC.
In what is arguably the most heartbreaking moment from the entirety ofRocksteady’sArkhamtrilogy, Nora Fries is able to reason with Victor, who agrees to take her out of her cryogenic suspension so that she can spend her final days with him. Ruining this conclusion would be unfortunate if there is not a good enough reason to bring him back, but it is possible that Mr. Freeze could have descended completely into villainy following his wife’s inevitable death.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueis in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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