E3 2011: Batman: Arkham City -- Play as Catwoman
Grab your whip and your fetishist gear, there's a new queen of Gotham.

Batman: Arkham City is a big world. So big, Batman could hardly patrol it himself. That's why developer Rocksteady decided to give you a second option when traversing the rooftops -- Catwoman is playable throughout Arkham City.

This isn't some cheap character model swap; Catwoman has her own moves, her own method of travel, her own story, and her own motivations. Unlike Batman, she's not in Arkham City to restore order. She could care less about who is pulling the strings or what their endgame plan is for Gotham. It turns out Hugo Strange took the prized possessions of every big criminal in the city and stashed them somewhere in the city. Catwoman plans to use the chaos in Arkham City to swipe some serious loot.

This isn't just a side story, though. Catwoman's tale is intertwined with Batman's narrative. About 10% of Arkham City's story has you playing as Catwoman and it's a very different experience than controlling the Dark Knight.

Catwoman doesn't have a bunch of gadgets. Instead, she relies on her whip and a couple of handy tools worthy of a burglar (or ninja), such as caltrops (little spikes that slow enemies). The whip can be used not only to strangle baddies, but also to swing across the city. This doesn't get her a ton of extension or height, so expect to stick to the lower portion of the city -- including the sewers.

Find out the Riddler's role in Arkham City.
She's quick, too. Much faster and more nimble than Batman, she can get through narrow spaces and even crawl along ceilings. She's not a brute either, so expect her missions to have a stealth focus; requiring you to sneak through areas, pick the pockets of security guards, and swipe goods before anyone realizes you were ever there.

But what to steal? Fortunately, Catwoman has her own special vision power: Thief Vision. At first, you might mistake this for Batman's overly helpful Detective Mode, but Catwoman gets no obvious clues as to what to do next. Her vision helps her in one way: Seeing what's worth stealing. That can often be tied to a game objective, since Gotham's famed cat-burglar is, after all, going to be involved in thievery whenever she dons the cat ears.

I know E3 offers only the quickest glimpse at games, but it looks like Rocksteady got it right. Not only did it feel like I was playing Catwoman and not some Batman clone, it also fit how I'd imagine Catwoman would exist in Gotham City. If Batman: Arkham Asylum was the Batman game everyone always wanted, maybe Arkham City is the Catwoman game we never knew we could have.

She's like Batman, only better.
Again, it's only about 10% of the total game, but it's not half-assed. Everything is scaled down to what can be managed in that slice of game time. So, instead of a dozen or more gadgets, Catwoman has three -- but all of them can be upgraded, just like Batman's wonderful toys. There are more than 400 Riddler Trophies in Batman: Arkham City and a small portion can only be nabbed by Catwoman. Basically, all the elements of the experience playing as Batman (Riddler stuff, combat, upgrades, open city, story) are also given to Catwoman. She's not some cheap add-on.

I'm sure playing as Catwoman while Batman goes off to twiddle his thumbs won't sit well with everyone. It suits me just fine. I wouldn't have any problem playing the Dark Knight from start to finish, but since the Catwoman sections are being handled with as much care as the rest of the game, the experience from start to finish should be consistent, regardless of the character you're playing.

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/117/1172188p1.html