Playable Catwoman unmasked in Batman: Arkham City

by JC Fletcher on Jun 1st 2011 2:31PM

A new video and preview posted by GameSpot reveal that Catwoman is joining the playable cast of Batman: Arkham City. And she's not disguising her face, even though she clearly has goggles for that purpose, and it's driving us crazy. Ahem.

The video shows Catwoman using her whip as a grappling hook, sliding under a low obstacle, brandishing sharp claws, and planting a big kiss on a disgusting Joker henchman for some reason before throwing him to the ground.

In a video Q&A, Rocksteady marketing manager Dax Ginn mentions that her lack of cape makes her unable to use Batman's glide functionality, so she has her own navigation abilities, which appear to be climbing-based. She'll be leveled up throughout the game just as players improve Batman's skills.

Source: GameSpot

Tags: Batman-Arkham-Asylum-2, Batman-Arkham-City, catwoman, microsoft, pc, playstation, ps3, rocksteady-studios, warner-bros-interactive, xbox

Reader Comments (111)

I really, really hope that they don't f*ck this game up.

@A Sandwich

They won't.. They can't... Can they??

@A Sandwich

I think it's really cool that Catwoman has been added but I DO NOT want to switch between her and Batman.

Gimmie a full Batman campaign! Leave Catwoman as an unlockable character for the second play through.

@A Sandwich

Me too, and for the record, I totally called this Catwoman thing.

@NaeemTHM
As a METAL GEAR fan, I cannot agree with you enough -- please, do not *force* players to endure sessions of gameplay with a character they didn't choose. It didn't necessarily work for MGS2, it won't here. Seperate campaigns, please!

@foxhound

Separate campaigns for different characters didnt work out for Devil May Cry 2, on the other hand, not much worked out for Devil May Cry 2.....

@foxhound It worked in the Aida missions for Resident Evil 4. If they did something like that I think it could be really fun. A separate campaign but still intertwined with the main character story events.

@foxhound metal gear solid 2 is great, be silent

@foxhound

You know there is a difference when you actually let your fans know ahead of time that you may be playing a different character for a portion of the game.

@NaeemTHM

Fingers crossed that she is only a character for challenge rooms a la the Joker challenge rooms on the PS3 Arkham Asylum.

@gordogg24p If you watched the vid, you would know that that's not the case.

@whylekat

They will if they add Robin and Alfred as playable characters........This was my point in the other comments about the pinguin, they are adding too many characters, i´m a big fan of femme fatale main characters, but so far this is getting too many guys and girls, i just hope the whole story doesn´t end being a mess as a result.......

@NaeemTHM I fully agree. Games where you play 2 or more characters has never seemed to be really that great to me. Just seems like a washed down experience. Playing as just Batman is fine, It is actually what I want.

I'd rather meet up with catwoman in the game and do stuff for her. Or even have her tag along as AI. Like fighting below as you are up high. having both as playable and both level up together just screams *Caution* to me..

@NaeemTHM Sounds like they're having you switch to me.

In the vid they mention that she levels up as batman levels up. That would indicate to me that you can't just play as Catwoman by herself. So hmmm... I guess we'll see how this plays out

@gordogg24p
You realize that it's this kind of mentality that keeps limited content acceptable and released in bite-sized chuncks like DLC, right? Rather than putting a new, fully integrated character into the game's story mode with unique abilities and leveling sets pre-release, you're requesting a reskin with minor adjustments like they directly said they were avoiding in the video?

Arkham Asylum worked so well because it was willing to take gameplay risks and was extremely rewarding because of it. Arkham City looks incredible so far and it would only make sense that the developers thought long and hard about Catwoman being put in, so lay down your anger and believe.

@DevilSei It worked for Halo 2...even though Gamespot totally spoiled the surprise.

@CaptBurgundy at first I was going to say it wasn't really risky...It's Metroid meets Splinter Cell with the Batman IP thrown in for name recognition.

But honestly mashing up genres is a risky undertaking...for instance...Gospel Gangsta Rap just never took off.

@foxhound
MGS2 was fine. Snake and Raiden play the same (except for some acrobatic differences). And you only play as Snake for MAYBE 30 minutes.

I'm glad she's been added(not a favorite character, IMO, but certainly noteworthy), however, I'd love a DLC Hush or even Azrael if possible.

Regardless, this is a strong contender for GotY!

@foxhound
it's a long shot, but i'd love The Batman of Zur En Arrh DLC.

@foxhound

Hush, definitely.

Azrael, depends. I think i was one of the few people who actually liked the original Azrael. I picked up a few of the new books when they rebooted the series, but never got into the new guy.

Other than those two, Nightwing, maybe?

@foxhound you guys know Hush is a bad guy, right?

@foxhound

Hush is a villain and only has like 2? major story arcs. Why does everyone think he's so super popular lately?

@whylekat
Hush, Hush Returns, Heart of Hush, House of Hush, and he's currently involved in Gates of Gotham. not to mention that he was a recurring character in Streets of Gotham.
he's been more popular lately, because he's been making more appearances lately.

@cbarrentos that still doesn't make any sense for a villain to be a playable character in anything more than a challenge mode extra

@cbarrentos
Don't forget Pushback or payback, what ever it was called. The Arc where Hush is trying to kill the Riddler.

@TheDarkWayne
Catwoman isn't much of a villain these days, more like an anti-hero.

@Nolan North Yeah absolutely, but Hush is still a very, very bad dude.

Would like to see Robin at some point, but perhaps in Batman: Arkham 3.

@ShoTime
which Robin? Dick Grayson? Jason Todd? Tim Drake? Stephanie Brown? Damien Wayne? Carrie Kelley?

@cbarrentos Damien. Definitely.

@cbarrentos Carrie Kelley is as much of a Robin to me as Julie Madison is. They should go with Stephanie Brown I think; she's perhaps the most underrated Robin in my opinion.

@cbarrentos

All of them, and you can play with them all at the same time........

@cbarrentos Didn't Jason Todd Die?

Where's Nightwing?!

@whylekat
Nightwing is now Batman. he became Batman when Batman was sent back in time. Batman fought his way out of the timestream and returned to the present day. he remained Batman, and instructed Batman to continue protecting Gotham City while he expanded a team of Batmen worldwide.
because comic books.

@cbarrentos

What is this i don't even

@baby sea tuna

You can thank DC for that one.

@cabarrentos

I know that.. I read comics. If you read them, you'd know that Batman: AA / AC isn't up to date with the current DC continuity.

@cbarrentos
I'm batman!

@cbarrentos Batman, Inc. ye son

@baby sea tuna - Don't worry. It was just announced today that DC is completely rebooting their universe, so none of that matters.

@BananaBoat

I'm Spartacus... wait what ?

@whylekat
But the Oracle....

@The Aquacharger - Nope. Just Barbara Gordon again. Joker never shot her.

(If that was even still in continuity. Who the hell knows anymore. Not that it matters now.)

"Meow."

@IUP

Watch it!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8549612/Australian-politician-caught-miaowing-at-female-colleague.html

I wish I was a fan of Batman. The demo for the first one was pretty fun but I don't care about the characters or stories in the Batman universe.

@nikescar I didnt either, however ive got to say, It really does introduce you to the Batman world, and the characters seem to have good stories etc

i enjoyed simply for reading the BIos etc

@McPo
this. you don't need to be a Bat-fan to enjoy the game.
but if you do decide to dig deeper into the Bat-mythos, the character bios and portrayals of favorites like Joker, Poison Ivy, and The Riddler are great entry points.

| 1 | 2 | 3 | Most Recent | Next 50 Comments

Batman: Arkham City

Playable Catwoman unmasked in Batman: Arkham City

Reader Comments (111)

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:32PM A Sandwich said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:43PM whylekat said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:27PM NaeemTHM said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:33PM making11s said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:34PM foxhound said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:40PM Uncommon said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:54PM gangcar said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 4:01PM ORTHROK said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 4:06PM DevilSei said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 4:57PM gordogg24p said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 6:40PM Flapjackal said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 7:31PM Hunter141072 said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 7:50PM Crazeegamer said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 8:12PM Crayola Q Pants ESQ said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 10:26PM CaptBurgundy said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 10:33PM MDizzy said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 10:38PM MDizzy said

Posted: Jun 2nd 2011 11:25AM Che J P said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:39PM foxhound said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:52PM cbarrentos said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:07PM EvilCartographer said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:34PM TheDarkWayne said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 4:27PM whylekat said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 4:56PM cbarrentos said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 5:46PM TheDarkWayne said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 6:06PM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 7:49PM Nolan North said

Posted: Jun 2nd 2011 2:04PM TheDarkWayne said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:39PM ShoTime said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:49PM cbarrentos said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:33PM Spraynard Krueger said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 5:24PM bjb1990 said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 7:34PM Hunter141072 said

Posted: Jun 2nd 2011 2:15PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:40PM whylekat said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:47PM cbarrentos said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:48PM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:14PM MrSmiley1 said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:20PM whylekat said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:26PM isotrex said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:32PM The Cole Train said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:37PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 3:53PM oOWallaceOo said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 6:10PM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 8:55PM BananaBoat said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:40PM IUP said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:49PM baby sea tuna said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:41PM nikescar said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:46PM McPo said

Posted: Jun 1st 2011 2:50PM cbarrentos said

Batman: Arkham City Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

WB conjures up Harry Potter for Kinect this fall

Featured Stories

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is a stranger in a strange land

Silver Lining: I Am Alive's unfeeling world

Game Of Thrones and the paradoxes of adaptation

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW