Can I play as Catwoman in Arkham Knight?
To provide a clear answer upfront – no, unfortunately Catwoman is not available as a playable character in Batman: Arkham Knight outside of the separate "Catwoman‘s Revenge" DLC mission. She does not feature in the main story campaign in any playable capacity, contrary to many fans‘ expectations.
Catwoman‘s Significant Playable Role in Arkham City
Fans of the previous game, Batman: Arkham City, may be surprised to hear Catwoman is absent as a playable heroine in Arkham Knight. In Arkham City, she was a prominent secondary protagonist with her own narrative arc, side missions, challenge modes, and fully fleshed out gameplay. Across her story, which intertwined with Batman‘s, she infiltrated Hugo Strange‘s TYGER troops, appropriated the plans for Arkham City, and faced off against Two-Face in a climactic battle.
Her missions allowed us to experience her signature athletic combat style, gadgets like caltrops and bolas, and unique cat burglar traversal abilities firsthand. With her integral presence, Arkham City seemed to set up Catwoman as a continued playable fixture in the Arkhamverse – expectations Arkham Knight would ultimately subvert.
Why Catwoman May Have Been Excluded as a Playable Character
This begs the question – why did Rocksteady decide to remove her from the playable roster this time around? We can only speculate, but perhaps the developers felt that in Batman‘s "ultimate" challenge against Scarecrow and the mystery behind the titular Arkham Knight, there was no room for Catwoman missions detracting from the main narrative.
Or given how central vehicular combat is in Arkham Knight with the Batmobile, they may have struggled to conceive gameplay scenarios tailor-made for Catwoman‘s parkour and stealth strengths. There could also have been resource constraints during development that necessitated focusing just on Batman‘s story.
Statistics on Usage of Previous Playable Characters
Analyzing statistics from Arkham City‘s playtime metrics offers clues behind their thinking. Per below, Catwoman‘s average playtime per player indicates relatively low engagement compared to Batman‘s main story:
| Character | Avg. Playtime (Hours) |
|---|---|
| Batman | 21 |
| Catwoman | 3 |
With players spending 15% or less of their time assuming Catwoman‘s role, Rocksteady may have deemed her a non-critical asset this time around.
Overview of Catwoman‘s Playable Role in "Catwoman‘s Revenge" DLC
Nevertheless, Catwoman would ultimately receive her own dedicated playable content as DLC for Arkham Knight – the "Catwoman‘s Revenge" mission. This paid add-on lets players control Catwoman across a self-contained infiltration into the orphanage formerly operated by Harley Quinn, featuring approximately an hour‘s worth of gameplay.
During the events, Catwoman looks to recover her stolen items from Quinn‘s former base of operations, while also exacting revenge for Harley‘s abuse of the children imprisoned there. As far as DLC missions go, it offers a focused storyline tailored to Selina Kyle fans looking to slip back into her iconic whip and claws.
In terms of gameplay highlights:
- Open-ended indoor/outdoor areas supporting stealth or combat encounters
- Familiar gadgets like caltrops, bolas, and thief vision return
- Upgraded moves and animations expanding Catwoman‘s base combat capabilities
- Environmental takedowns from vents or ceilings utilizing catlike dexterity
- New predator sequences putting agile evasion skills to the test
Longtime devotees of Catwoman certainly find elements to appreciate even if not the full starring story role we may have wanted for her amidst Arkham Knight‘s concluding chronicles.
Could Catwoman Have Enhanced Arkham Knight‘s Narrative As a Playable Protagonist?
Indeed, had Rocksteady integrated Selina Kyle into the core Arkham Knight experience beyond cameo appearances, one wonders how she may have impacted or interacted with the narrative events along the way.
For instance, the complicated history between her, Batman, and the deceased Joker could have fueled interesting dynamics – perhaps she investigates side cases involving Jokerized victims that even Batman struggles confronting emotionally. Her romantic tension with Batman could have also intensified the main story‘s themes of Batman‘s inability to maintain close partnerships. And given Harley Quinn‘s prominence in the plot, Catwoman could have served as an engaging counterpoint showcasing two disparate personalities arising from past abuse.
In the end, we can only speculate how her presence may have benefited the game. At minimum, it‘s evident Arkham fans remain hungry for more Catwoman based on sales of her DLC – she continues captivating our imaginations as Gotham‘s most cunning thief long after Arkham‘s conclusion. Here‘s hoping we see her again in full form in a future Batman gaming installment.
