Batman: Arkham City - Catwoman Combat and Challenge Guide
Contents:
1. Version history and notes
2. Introduction
3. Catwoman vs. Batman move list
4. Analysis of new or different moves
5. Combat differences summary
6. Enemy strategies
7. Combat Challenges special notes
8. Predator Challenges special notes
9. Campaign special notes
10. Story Mode walkthrough
11. Copyright, acknowledgements, and contact info
===============================================================================
1. Version history and notes
0.9 : First version.
0.91: Corrected Bat Swarm damage error.
0.92: Noted blue claw marks
0.97: Added 3/4 of section 9: Story Mode walkthrough
1.0 : Finished Story Mode walkthrough; various corrections
1.05: - Corrected various typographical errors
- Many small new facts/strategies
- Fixed major error in how Aerial Attack AI interruption works
- Added Nightwing Comparisons
- Added a strategy from Youngblood00000 on Two-Face
- Added a strategy for End of the Line (Extreme)
1.1 : - Added multiple sections to match Nightwing and Robin Guides, with
tips on all Medals and Campaigns
- Robin comparisons
- Beat Down and Counter advice tweaks
- notes on the combo meter and simple projectiles
- gun-armed thugs added to enemies list
1.11: Tips from Stijn van Empel (Whip Trip Lieutenants)
1.12: Postgame easter eggs from fcolmenarez
1.13: Friends Fly Free strategy from fcolmenarez
1.14: Typo correction from Lunatic LK47
If you spot an error, omission, or a place where it looks like I left
something out, please let me know. Those are probably things I forgot to go
back and fix, not deliberate blanks. I can be reached at stillnotelf ==at-
symbol== gmail ==you-know-it's-a-dot== com.
===============================================================================
2. Introduction
Catwoman is available as DLC for Batman: Arkham City. The DLC package adds
four Catwoman chapters to the main story, plus the ability to play as Catwoman
in the Combat and Predator Challenges and Campaigns. This guide assumes you
are familiar with playing the game as Batman and focuses on what is different
for the Catwoman experience. In general, Catwoman makes for a harder game.
She is faster than Batman, much faster for a few moves, but is more fragile and
is missing a few important moves. She can keep combos going a little better
due to speed, but mistakes are more punishing.
For an excellent discussion of combat mechanics in general, head over to
AbaddonOnion2’s Combat Mechanics Guide. This guide assumes you’re already
proficient with Batman and discusses shared moves and strategies only
minimally. The format of this guide is similar to my Robin and Nightwing
guides.
I will avoid plot spoilers except in the Story Mode walkthrough.
Throughout the guide, I note when moves are faster or slower relative to
Batman’s version of the move (they are almost always faster). These speeds are
based on my impressions, but not formal timings. If you have explicit timings
of moves, or evidence that my speed impressions are wrong, please share it with
me!
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3. Catwoman vs. Batman move list
The combat engine for Catwoman is the same as for Batman, so she mostly has
similar moves. This list compares their two movesets. Note that Catwoman has
fewer moves total, leaving blanks in her list. New or altered moves will be
considered in detail in a later section. In general, Catwoman is faster than
Batman, unless otherwise noted you can assume all of her moves are just a
little bit faster.
This list was created for the XBOX 360; the controls work the same for a
Playstation 3. Y=Triangle, X=Square, A=X, B=O. LS and RS are Right and Left
(analog) Stick. RT (R1) and LT (L1) are Left and Right Trigger. RB (R2) and
LB (L2) are Right and Left Bumper. A plus sign means buttons are pressed
together, and a comma means they are pressed in sequence.
Buttons | Catwoman | Batman | Differences
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MISCELLANEOUS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X | Strike | Strike |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LB | Thief Vision | Detective | Many
| | Mode |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RB | Claw Climb | Grapnel Gun | Many
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RB (near | Ceiling Climb | --- | Batman is missing this move;
mesh ceiling) | | | offers unique Instant Takedowns
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT | Crouch | Crouch | Possibly
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+A (near | Climb Down | Climb Down | Catwoman's is whip-assisted and
ledge or | | | has much greater range;
Ceiling-Climb | | | can transition to Ceiling Climb
walkway) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+A (near | Enter Grate | Enter Grate |
floor grate) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A (in grate) | Exit Grate | Exit Grate |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+A (near | Corner Cover | Corner Cover |
corner) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X (directly | Drop Attack | Drop Attack |
above enemy) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X (above | Pounce | Glide Kick | Catwoman's range is shorter
enemy; middle | | |
distance) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+Y (near | Ground | Ground | Catwoman takes a little longer
downed | Takedown | Takedown |
stunned | Ground Pound | Ground Pound |
enemy) | (in FreeFlow) | (in FreeFlow) |
STUN ATTACKS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B | Whip Stun | Cape Stun |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B,B,B (same | Ultra Stun | Ultra Stun | Catwoman's may be a slower
target) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B,X,X,X... | Beat Down | Beat Down | Catwoman's is much faster
(repeatedly) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B,A,A | Aerial Attack | Aerial Attack | Catwoman's is much faster
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B,A,A, | Directed | Directed | Catwoman's is much faster
[LS(towards | Aerial Attack | Aerial Attack |
foe)+X] | | |
MOVEMENT & MOTION ATTACKS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LS+A (hold) | Run | Run | Catwoman is much faster
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A,A | Evade | Evade |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LS (towards | Redirect | Redirect |
foe)+A,A | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LS+A(hold)+RT | Slide | Slide |
COUNTERS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y | Counter | Counter |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y(hold)+ | Blade Dodge | Blade Dodge |
LS(back) (x3) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y(tap)+ | Blade Dodge | Blade Dodge |
LS(back) (x3) | Takedown | Takedown |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y(under fire) | --- | Smoke Pellet | Catwoman is missing this move
FLYING MOVES
(Catwoman cannot fly and is missing all of them)
SPECIAL COMBO MOVES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X+A | Whiplash | Bat Swarm | No similarities
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A+B | Whip Trip | Multiple | No similarities
| | Takedown |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X+Y | --- | Disarm and | Catwoman is missing this move
| | Destroy |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y+B | Takedown | Takedown |
QUICKFIRE GADGETS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT+X | Bolas | Explosive Gel | No similarities
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT+B | Caltrops | REC | No similarities
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT+Y | Whip Disarm | Batclaw (Pull | Disarm mode is similar
| | or Disarm) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT (tap) | Whip Trip | Batarang | No similarities; Trip is *not*
| | | like Batclaw Pull
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+RT | --- | Freeze Blast | Catwoman has no gadget here
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
===============================================================================
4. Analysis of new or different moves
Altered Moves
Run (hold A+LS)
Catwoman's run is much faster than Batman's. It is also completely silent;
enemies can never hear her coming like they can Batman.
Thief Vision vs. Detective Mode (RB)
Catwoman's Thief Vision is her version of Batman's Detective Mode. The most
important part of the mode is being able to see enemy outlines through walls in
Predator Challenges/areas; this is true for both. Both also turn the screen a
different color to signifify that they are active; red for Catwoman (like her
goggles, which pop onto her eyes) and blue for Batman. Unfortunately for
Catwoman, Detective Mode is better is almost every way. Here's a list of
things Detective Mode does that Thief Vision doesn't:
*Highlights interactive objects in the environment, and provides data about
them or how to use them
*Highlights enemies by color (all are white for Catwoman)
**Blue for unarmed
***Held hitting weapons (sticks, blades, shields, electric prods) highlighted
yellow
**Orange for enemies armed with guns
**Yellow highlights around armored enemies
*If an interference backpack is present, its location is visible
**Occasionally Detective Mode cuts through the interference and you'll get a
peek at your foes
*Activates automatically in smoke (from Smoke Pellet or a detonated fire
extinguisher)
The only thing superior about Thief Vision is that if jamming is present, the
screen is a lot less blurred than it is for Batman - so if you turn it on by
mistake or habit, you'll still be able to see a little. Note that Thief Vision
(and its flaws) is shared by Nightwing as his Detective Mode.
Claw Climb vs. Grapnel (RB)
This is the vertical climbing and emergency escape move. Batman's Grapnel has
much better range, and requires one press to take you to your target; Claw
Climb requires repeated taps as you make your way upwards. Neither character
has a good way to aim the move at a particular point of interest other than
flailing around with the camera (RS). Both characters will sometimes overshoot
railings in Predator Challenges - when you want to set up for a Ledge Takedown,
you'll instead pop up in front of the armed and angry foe. Catwoman has no
attack related to this move; Batman can do a Grapnel Boost Takedown on enemies
near rail-less ledges.
Ceiling Climb (RB under wire mesh ceiling)
This move is unique to Catwoman; Batman cannot interact with these ceilings.
If you find a ceiling or walkway that looks like a chain link fence, chances
are good Catwoman can hop up to it and hang on its underside. With Thief
Vision active, these ceilings will have some blue claw marks. This is a great
way to hide from enemies - you are generally invisible unless they are spooked
by a body and looking up (this is how floor grates work too). In split-level
areas (especially the End of the Line and Lost City Predator Challenges) an
enemy climbing stairs will see you if their head is at the same level as your
hanging body. You can drop from Ceiling Climb with B, and if on a walkway
transition to the topside of the walkway with A, or onto the ledge (from near
the edge) with A.
Ceiling Climb instant takedowns (Y while Ceiling Climbing)
Catwoman has two unique Instant Takedowns while Ceiling Climbing. If above a
foe, you get an opportunity for a Silent Takedown where she drops down,
strangles him with her legs, and then drops to the floor. If below an enemy on
a walkway, you can get a (noisy) Instant Takedown where she flicks her whip up
over the edge, grabs an ankle, and yanks them over the side. This is an
abuseable move: it's very fast and you stay under the ledge, so if several guys
are in range (if they're grouped together near a body), you can tap Y again and
get three or even four of them!
Climb Down (RT+A)
Catwoman uses her whip to assist her in climbing down to ledges, so she can
perform this move much further from a ledge. If close to the ledge, it
transitions to hanging from the ledge; from further away it goes directly into
Ceiling Climb if available. While hanging from the ledge you can climb up with
A or go to Ceiling Climb with RT.
Crouch (RT)
The crouch is different in two ways. First, Batman's crouch lets him move
silently; Catwoman's full-speed run is still silent. She has no reason to
crouch for sound, only for hiding behind things. Second, Batman crouches into
a square shape and duck-walks to move, but Catwoman lays out along the ground
and crawls like a cat. This *may* make her easier to spot by enemies (because
she is stretched out long); I think this is untrue but cannot confirm it either
way.
Pounce vs. Glide Kick (X while above enemy at middle distance)
Batman glides in on his cape to kick an enemy down to the ground, and can go
for quite a distance. Catwoman makes a single leap in her version of the move
and thus has shorter range. In Predator Challenges, the distance is irrelevant
(the rooms are too small for it to matter). Catwoman does not have any of the
Glide Kick/Dive Bomb related moves (Shockwave Attack, Glide Boost Attack),
since she doesn't glide. Pounce is shared by Nightwing.
Ultra Stun (B,B,B on a single target)
Ultra Stun works the same for Catwoman as Batman. I think hers is a little
slower - the whip goes all over the place so it's a little hard to tell what's
going on. I mention it only because, even if the moves were identical,
Catwoman's would still be a poor choice. Catwoman should prefer Whip Trip (tap
LT) to Ultra Stun against most foes. The exceptions are Titans (against whom
it is still necessary) and if you want the Variation Bonus.
Beat Down (B,X,X,X,X...)
This move, used to humiliate lone foes and take out armored enemies, is one of
Catwoman's chances to shine. Her Beat Downs are much faster than Batman's or
Robin's, and better than Nightwing's to boot. That said, the move is still
dangerously slow to use on non-isolated foes. Note that you can interrupt out
of a Beat Down with Counter (Y) if the incoming attack is from a fist or blunt
object (blue sparks). If multiple attacks are incoming, tap Y multiple times
(once for each attack, up to three) to counter them all. You can cancel into
Blade Dodge/Takedown (yellow sparks) (if you’re crazy) but must cancel into
Redirect (LS[towards foe]+A,A) to get away from stun prods and shields (red
sparks). This advice works for Counter generally, but it’s really only useful
in conjunction with Beat Down. Thanks to eulbedoc on the GameFAQs boards for
the tip.
Aerial Attack and Directed Aerial Attack (B,A,A; B,A,A,(X+LS))
Aerial Attack and its Directed variant work the same for Batman and Catwoman,
but Catwoman performs hers a lot faster. Besides serving as another variation
for bonuses, the move is intended to be used against shielded foes - it knocks
them to the ground and drops their shield. It seems that enemies stop their
attacks when you perform Aerial Attack on a shielded foe. This AI
interruption does NOT occur against unshielded foes. Batman’s Aerial attack
is so slow that he’ll often get attacked anyway (by an enemy that started
attack after Aerial Attack began), losing the combo. As Batman, it's usually
better to Disarm and Destroy the shield (X+Y) instead: it’s unblockable, makes
you invincible, and then they can't just pick the shield back up. For
Catwoman, Aerial Attack is sped up so she can take out shielded foes without
getting hit; she can't destroy the shields so she's forced to use Aerial
Attack much more frequently. It's still too dangerous to use in the middle of
a pack. Nightwing’s Aerial Attack is similarly faster.
New moves - Special Combo Moves
Special Combo Moves are the moves that become available when your combo counter
has increased by 5 (or 8, lacking the upgrade) since you started the combo or
last used one of these moves. Note that the instant Takedown (Y+B) is unlisted
in the game, but works just fine for Catwoman (and identically to Batman's).
Catwoman has no X+Y move.
Whiplash (X+A)
This move is has Catwoman pull out her whip and whip it around her (whp-pssh,
whp-pssh) five times. It hits 5 discrete regions around her, spread out to
cover the whole area around her out to a medium-long distance. As the whip
peaks (you know, the whp-pssh noise) you'll be able to see a circular
distortion marking where the attack lands. Each enemy in the region that gets
hit is tagged with a small amount of damage; an enemy can be in overlapping
regions and get hit multiple times. I don't know if it hits through armor or
shields. It's a _great_ move to use for getting your score up in Combat
Challenges - it does 5 points per hit, and stacks. If you get 16 hits, its
base score (16*5 = 80) is greater than the Ground Takedown (75). It can also
increases your combo multiplier by more than one; the maximum is five. If you
hit zero guys with it, it does not count as a miss and won't affect your combo.
Whip Trip (A+B)
!!!Note: this is a totally different move from the gadget Whip Trip (tap LT)!!!
Catwoman swings her whip along at ground level, damaging any foe it hits (it
hits under shields) and tripping most of them. This move, like Whiplash, hits
enemies in an area around Catwoman. It hits in a short-to-medium circle around
her; the range is a bit less than Bat Swarm. Tripped enemies go down long
enough for one to be hit with a Ground Takedown. Be wary; not all enemies will
be tripped, and Ground Takedown is more than slow enough for you to be
interrupted with a smack to the back of the head. This move's range is
inferior to Whiplash, but the scoring is the same (5 points per foe), so if
there are lots of foes, prefer Whiplash. Whip Trip is preferred against few
foes, especially with a large combo counter - at least one enemy is likely to
be tripped and isolated enough to risk a Ground Takedown for big points. If
Whip Trip hits no enemies, it does not count as a miss and won't affect your
combo. Whip Trip, like Whiplash, can add up to 5 to your combo count if you
hit enough foes.
New moves - Gadget Moves
Catwoman has far fewer gadgets than Batman, and they are mostly dissimilar.
Catwoman has only Bolas (like Batarangs), Caltrops (unique), and her Whip (some
similarities to the Batclaw). Of the combat-relevant gadgets, the Smoke
Pellet, Explosive Gel, REC, specialty Batarangs, Firearm Jammer/Mine Detonator,
and Freeze weapons are missing entirely. Also, Catwoman's gadgets are not
powered up once you enter FreeFlow Focus (red combo counter), nor does their
use lose Focus. Catwoman's gadgets function the same when used manually as
the Quickfire versions (excepting that you do the aiming).
Bolas (LT+X)
Bolas function almost identically to standard Batarangs. The two differences
are A) Bolas travel in straight lines (which I think is purely cosmetic), and
B) due to the different Quickfire controls (LT+X, instead of tap LT),
Catwoman can fire off Bolas a lot faster than Batman can fire Batarangs. It is
generally unsafe to try for more than one Batarang at a time with Batman
because the LT trigger may not count two presses, and you'll get stuck pulling
out your equipped gadget and ruining your combo. Catwoman can fire two Bolas
easily before continuing the combo. This is purely a controller issue and not
an instance of Catwoman's superior speed; you may get different results on
controllers other than the standard XBOX 360 controller. A missed Bola will
count as a miss and break your combo; accidentally targeting an armored or
shielded target won't count as a miss or hit. A hit adds one to your combo and
is worth 10 points. Note you can hit armored foes with this gadget–you just
have to hit them in the back of the head. In Predator, accomplish this with
stealth; in Combat, you have a window immediately after Redirecting
(LS[towards foe]+A,A) to do it. An accidental Quickfire Bola hit won’t stop
your combo (but it won’t count as a hit, either).
All of the simple projectiles, including Robin’s Shurikens, Batman’s Batarangs,
Catwoman’s Bolas, and Nightwing’s Escrima Sticks and Wing Dings, interact oddly
with the combo meter. If you haven’t just used a projectile, a projectile hit
is worth 10 points and one combo counter. If you did just throw a projectile,
it’s worth points but no combo counter increase. Intersperse your throws with
Redirects (LS[towards foe]+A,A) to take advantage of this. You can use these
projectiles to keep thugs alive longer, as they do less damage than Strike (X),
so combos will grow higher.
Caltrops (LT+B)
Catwoman's Caltrops gadget lets her "poison" the ground for a small area (about
8 feet in diameter); enemies walking into this area may trip and fall to the
ground dazed. Generally the caltrop trap will stay on the ground until an
enemy disturbs it. In combat, most enemies in the caltrops will fall to the
ground, and the caltrops will fade soon after any enemy passes through them.
In predator mode, the enemies will almost always see the caltrops, make a
sweeping motion with their feet, and the caltrop trap will disappear. Note
that disarmed caltrops may stay visible, but won't do anything; also note that
caltrops are animated individually by only work as an area-of-effect. Caltrops
never count as an "attack" for your combo meter, but the Quickfire move does
count as an action so your combo won't die. Throwing them down never counts as
a miss, whether they're ever stepped in or not. Catwoman is totally unaffected
by caltrops. Catwoman has an ammo limitation for Caltrops, unlike Bolas. She
is limited to three in a Challenge or room; they seem to regenerate slowly in
the overworld. I suggesting ignoring the Caltrops gadget; it knocks the
enemies down slowly and unpredictably, adding an unwelcome element of chance to
your FreeFlow battle targeting - you don't want a strike to miss because the
enemy decided to fall down instead! Use Caltrops either very early (so that
there are a ton of targets) or very late (so that you can Ground Takedown one
while the others are tripping too).
There is a Predator Challenge Medal to use Caltrops to trip a foe and follow it
with a Ground Takedown on a few levels. There are two good ways to get this to
work reliably. The best method is to disarm a foe (Whip Disarm, LT+Y), then
throw Caltrops at their feet. The "get my gun back" AI routine overwhelms the
"don't walk through caltrops" routine, and they'll immediately trip and you can
do the Ground Takedown. The other method is to put Caltrops at the bottom of a
ladder, and then make sure they see you. They'll leap without looking, and
fall to the ground at the bottom of the ladder.
Whip Disarm (LT+Y)
This functions similarly to Batman's Batclaw Disarm. It will pull more weapons
than Batman's move, though: it will pull blunt and bladed weapons as well as
guns. If used on an unarmed enemy, it behaves like Whip Trip (tap LT). It
counts as a miss against shielded and stun-prod-armed foes. Note that this
does not count as a gadget variation independently of Whip Trip. It will not
add to your combo count.
Enemy armament | Whip Disarm | Batclaw Disarm/Pull
unarmed | trips | pulls enemy
gun | disarms | disarms
blunt object | disarms | pulls enemy
blade | disarms | pulls enemy
stun prod | misses | pulls enemy
shield | misses | misses
armored (unarmed) | trips | misses
Whip Trip (tap LT)
!!!Note: this is a totally different move from the Special Combo Whip Trip
(A+B)!!! Catwoman will use her whip to trip up an enemy, resulting in an
instant ground dazed state. This is one of Catwoman's best strengths over
Batman; the move is absurdly powerful in Predator, useful in Combat, and Batman
has nothing that quite matches it. The trip effect works on any unshielded
regular foe, including armored enemies. It is great for taking out armored
enemies in Predator mode, and a useful way to transition to Ground Takedown in
combat. Batman's similar moves include the Batclaw Pull (LT+Y) followed by
Batclaw Slam (X) to knock down a foe - but this won't work on armored enemies,
and it just disarms enemies with guns. He can also shoot armored foes with the
REC (LT+B) to stun them and knock them down, but it just stuns unarmored foes,
makes a lot of noise, and blasts them away from you (often out of range for a
fast followup Ground Takedown). Keep this move in mind in Predator Extreme
Challenges for the many armored enemies - it's the best replacement for Silent
Takedown, which won't work on armored enemies. Note that this move does not
count as a gadget variation independently of Whip Disarm. It will not add to
your combo.
Stijn van Empel passes along the tip that, like electrical attacks (which
Catwoman doesn't have), Whip Trip will force Lieutenants to swing their weapon
and strike the other thugs.
===============================================================================
5. Combat differences summary
Catwoman's combat differences from Batman are dominated by two factors. First,
she is more fragile than he is - her health bar maxes out at 2 bonuses (1.5x
starting health) instead of 4 (2x starting health). The second factor is that
she is much faster than he is. This makes Catwoman harder to play in general,
because mistakes are more punishing, but the extra speed means that she has
more potential in the hands of a skilled player. At the time of this writing,
the high scores on the online leaderboards for Combat Challenges are about 4
times higher for Catwoman than Batman. The strategies in this guide are aimed
at getting the Achievements, but not necessarily to the top of the
leaderboards.
To learn about the flow of combat in general, read AbaddonOnion2's excellent
Batman: Arkham City Combat Mechanics Guide. I will summarize the important
points here:
1) To get high scores on Combat Challenges, and to get lots of EXP and
replacement health in Story Mode, the key is to keep your combo counter high.
2) Keeping the counter high means: always do something (a Strike, Redirect,
or other special move) within 1 second of the end of the last move, do not
perform a move that hits no enemies, and do not get hit.
3) Abuse Redirect (LS[towards foe]+[A,A]) constantly. Your average combat
will look like this: Strike, Strike, Strike (enters FreeFlow), Redirect,
Strike, Redirect, Strike... with special moves interspersed where appropriate.
You are invincible to most attacks (Titans are the exception) while
Redirecting. This gives you a moment to plan your next attack and keeps the
combo going. You are totally invincible while in the animation for a Special
Combo Attack.
In combat, you will be trying to never get hit, so Catwoman's lower health
isn't too important. Her extra speed will be very useful in long-distance
attacks in FreeFlow.
===============================================================================
6. Enemy strategies
Normal foes
Normal unarmed enemies are treated the same for Catwoman as Batman: beat on
them and redirect over them, they're just there to soak up damage and provide
points!
Blunt object armed
Blunt objects include pipes, hammers, and bats. A hit from the enemy will make
the screen blurry for a while. Catwoman should handle these guys the same as
Batman, as if they were unarmed. You do have the option of disarming them with
Whip Disarm (LT+Y) but there's no reason to. Try to Counter foes with blunt
objects when you can – the animations are usually pretty cool.
Blade armed
Blades include knives and broken bottles. I am not including Assassin's swords
here. These guys should be treated the same as Batman treats them: as if they
were unarmed. Like blunt objects, you can disarm blades with Whip Disarm
(LT+Y); there is no reason to. I suggest never bothering with Blade Dodge and
Blade Dodge Takedown - it's a losing proposition because the timing is
challenging and the reward isn't worth it. Redirect over them to interrupt the
attack and then smack them in the back of the head instead.
Shielded
Shielded foes are individually a little easier for Catwoman to defeat than
Batman, because enemy AI interrupts its attack if you do an Aerial Attack
(B,A,A), the only one that works, against a shielded thug. Batman also gets
this interruption, but he performs the move so slowly that it doesn’t help
much. This means Catwoman can safely Aerial Attack non-isolated shielded
thugs – just don’t try it in large groups. The shield itself is much more
dangerous, because Catwoman is missing Special Combo Disarm and Destroy (X+Y)
and thus can’t destroy the shield permanently. Any shield on the field will
stay there for all rounds of a Combat Challenge, forcing you to Aerial Attack
(or Special Combo Whip Trip (A+B)) it off the enemies again, and again, and
again. Also note that Whip Trip (tap LT) does not work against shielded
enemies - they lower the shield to protect their ankles. It is gratifying to
use Special Combo Instant Takedown (Y+B) on these guys-Catwoman grabs the
shield and slams them upside the head with it-but it won't hurt the shield.
Stun prod armed
You have to attack stun prod armed thugs from the back or the side to prevent a
nasty shock (with screen blur) from the prod. This is a little easier for
Catwoman than Batman due to her speed. However, like with the shields, you
cannot get the electric prod itself off the field - it's there to stay. The
lack of Disarm and Destroy really matters here. Arkham City is much more
forgiving than Arkham Asylum was about hitting them in the back - a strike from
the side from a distance (via FreeFlow) will hit them, but it's dangerous to
try this regularly. You should do a Special Combo Instant Takedown (Y+B) on
these guys whenever you need a mood boost - Catwoman grabs the prod and jabs it
into their back to take them out!
Gun armed
Gun armed foes are not as much a pain in the neck as they were in Arkham
Asylum. For one, they telegraph when they’re about to fire by audibly
fiddling with their gun’s magazine. Second, you can interrupt their animation
with a Quickfire Bola (LT), which will often even knock them down (causing them
to drop the weapon). Just keep a steady stream of Bolas flying their way and
they’ll never get a chance to fire at you.
Armored
Catwoman's options for armored thugs are a little different but equally
effective. Catwoman's Beat Down is faster, meaning she can pull one off in
more crowded environments - Beat Down is great if you can do one early because
it will get your combo counter up by 14 or so. She also has Whip Trip (tap
LT), which gets them on the ground for a Ground Takedown (RT+Y). She is
missing the REC, which blasts them to the ground - great in an emergency, but
since they often land too far away for a safe Ground Takedown, it's not a move
you'll miss.
Catwoman has an easier time face-to-face with armored thugs in Predator Mode
because Whip Trip is so much easier to use and quieter than the REC blast.
The lack of Inverted Takedown removes one of Batman's better options.
Note that Thief Vision will not highlight armor the way Detective Mode does -
always check your target in Predator Challenges when attempting a failable
takedown like Silent Takedown, Corner Takedown, or the Drop/Pounce Attack.
Note you can hit armored foes with Bolas–you just have to hit them in the back
of the head. In Predator, accomplish this with stealth; in Combat, you have a
window immediately after Redirecting (LS[towards foe]+A,A) to do it. An
accidental Quickfire Bola hit won’t stop your combo (but it won’t count as a
hit, either).
Assassins
Assassins are considerably easier for Catwoman to take out than for Batman,
because her speed exceeds theirs. Note that, like with Batman, they can dodge
most attacks - these won't count against you as a miss if they do the purple-
smoke dodge animation. Also note that they cannot be kept down on the ground -
Whip Trip (both variants) will connect, but they'll get up instantly, so don't
try a Ground Takedown. Ultra Stun won't work either.
Lieutenants (Abramovici twins, the one-armed huge guys)
These two are a greater threat to Catwoman than Batman due to her smaller
health bar. They pack enough punch to do serious damage to her. That said,
they're not too hard to take out once you know the trick. You may be tempted
to leave them for last, but in Combat Challenges, you should aim for the
lieutenants first. Any attack on them automatically becomes fast like Beat
Down - and as you know, Catwoman's is blazing fast. You should get into this
habit: 5 or more strikes (X,X,X...), Redirect overhead as the Lieutenant winds
up to sweep their weapon (A,A), Special Combo Whip Trip (A+B) to trip nearby
enemies (so they'll leave you alone), then continue striking. This strategy
works for Batman as well, with Bat Swarm in place of Whip Trip. Bat Swarm is
superior for the purpose, but Catwoman's greater speed makes up the difference.
You should be able to get a combo of 50 or so by the time the Lieutenant is
dead: a great way to start a stage!
Stijn van Empel passes along the tip that, like electrical attacks (which
Catwoman doesn't have), Whip Trip (tap LT) will force Lieutenants to swing
their weapon and srtike the other thugs.
Titans
Titans are much tougher for Catwoman than Batman. For one, she can't take hits
from them like Batman can. For two, she can't ride them! That means no Rodeo
Strikes for free hits (and combo counts) while you invincibly ride your mutated
death steed (and no Titan Charges or Ground Takedowns). To get rid of them,
try to get a combo of 5 (to charge a Whip Trip), get close, do an Ultra Stun
(B,B,B), do the Whip Trip (A+B) to distract nearby foes, then get 8 hits on the
Titan. Do this three times and they'll go down for good. If a Titan is the
last foe, any stunning blow (generally any combo of 8) will KO it for good,
even if you haven't done the stun cycle three times yet.
===============================================================================
7. Combat Challenges special notes
For getting a high score on the Combat Challenges, incorporate the advice on
moves and enemies above. This section contains just a few pointers specific to
the Combat Challenges.
* Catwoman's gadgets, of which there are only three, do not have to be used in
ONE combo to get the variation bonus. Using all three anywhere in battle is an
easy 1000 points. That said, the Caltrops can do more harm than good if they
cause your targets to fall down so that other attacks miss. Use Caltrops
either very early (so that there are a ton of targets) or very late (so that
you can Ground Takedown one while the others are tripping too).
* Special Combo Whip Trip and Whiplash both hit many foes. Using them late in
a combo can rack up a ton of points. Each gains 5 points per hit; if you hit
16 guys that's an 80 point base, more than Ground Takedown! Unfortunately,
both moves do damage (much more than Bat Swarm), so as you use them you'll find
your pool of enemies dropping.
* When doing the Campaign mode, ALWAYS save Super Powered for levels with
shields and stun prods, especially Prison Riot and Hell's Gate. Catwoman's
inability to break these items (due to the lack of Disarm and Destroy) is
negated by this bonus effect. Also, the Predator version of the effect-crawl
faster-is wasted on her.
* All of the simple projectiles, including Robin’s Shurikens, Batman’s
Batarangs, Catwoman’s Bolas, and Nightwing’s Escrima Sticks and Wing Dings,
interact oddly with the combo meter. If you haven’t just used a projectile,
a projectile hit is worth 10 points and one combo counter. If you did just
throw a projectile, it’s worth points but no combo counter increase.
Intersperse your throws with Redirects (LS[towards foe]+A,A) to take advantage
of this. You can use these projectiles to keep thugs alive longer, as they do
less damage than Strike (X), so combos will grow higher.
* When you’re down to one thug, you should use Beat Down (B,X,X,X...) or Ultra
Stun (B,B,B) / Whip Trip (Tap LT) plus Ground Pound (RT+Y) for the finisher for
the most points. If your combo is low, use the former; if high, the latter.
This won’t work on shielded or stun-prod-armed thugs.
Blind Justice (Medals at 6000, 12000, 24000)
This is just a warm-up level. Opponents are thin on the ground, and shields
and stun rods are not present. You should do all your fighting in the upper
area to the left of where you start to make thugs bunch up for better
Whiplash/Whip Trip attacks.
Survival of the Fittest (Medals at 8000, 16000, 32000)
Rooftop Rumble (Medals at 8000, 16000, 32000)
Hell's Gate (Medals at 8000, 16000, 32000)
Assassins are common here. You can bunch thugs up on the stairs behind where
you start to get better Whip Trips.
Funhouse Brawl (Medals at 15000, 30000, 60000)
Prison Riot (Medals at 8000, 16000, 32000)
Shields and stun rods abound in this level.
Blind Justice (Extreme) (Medals at 8000, 16000, 32000)
This is just a warm-up level. Opponents are thin on the ground, and shields
and stun rods are not present. You should do all your fighting in the upper
area to the left of where you start to make thugs bunch up for better
Whiplash/Whip Trip attacks.
Survival of the Fittest (Extreme) (Medals at 15000, 30000, 60000)
You'll face a Titan in stages 2 and 4.
Rooftop Rumble (Extreme) (Medals at 10000, 20000, 40000)
Assassins and Lieutenants are mixed in in this level.
Hell's Gate (Extreme) (Medals at 12000, 24000, 48000)
Assassins are common here. You can bunch thugs up on the stairs behind where
you start to get better Whip Trips.
Funhouse Brawl (Extreme) (Medals at 15000, 30000, 60000)
You'll face a Lieutenant + Titan combo in stage 2, and a Lieutenant + 2 Titan
combo in stage 4.
Prison Riot (Extreme) (Medals at 12000, 24000, 48000)
Shields and stun rods abound in this level. Assassins are mixed in as well.
Freight Train (Medals at 8000, 16000, 32000)
This is Robin's DLC Combat Challenge. You can skip it as Catwoman to no ill
effect. They tried to make it like a sidescrolling beat-em-up, but in my
opinion the combat engine works poorly in 2D. There are very few foes in range
at any one time (or even in the level at all), making it hard to rack up
combos. Using your gadgets and getting in as many combat variations as
possible is important. You'll get at least half your points on the last stage,
which has a Lieutenant and Black Mask. Black Mask has a large HP boost (as if
he were armored); you can Beat Down both him and the Lieutenant to get your
combo pretty high.
Wayne Manor Armory (Medals at 15000, 30000, 60000)
This is Nightwing's DLC Combat Challenge. You can skip it as Catwoman to no
ill effect. The thug type is TYGER guards, you're in a large mostly square
room, and there are a ton of blunt objects and knives available to the thugs.
There are no shields or stun rods. You should be able to rack up huge combos
with Redirect (LS[towards foe]+A,A), as the only foes you can't attack freely
are the occasional armored thugs, and they stand out as red instead of black.
===============================================================================
8. Predator Challenges special notes
This section features a few pointers for the Predator Challenges. I don't
offer walkthroughs in text because Youtube videos already do it better!
* Catwoman has many repeated Medals, unlike Batman but like Nightwing and
Robin. She has fewer gadgets and some environment tools are missing, and I
guess the developers got lazy.
* If you have enemies to spare (more than you need for Medals), you can take
them out FAST with the Ceiling Climb Ledge Takedown. While underslung below a
walkway, you can tap Y to take out a guy above you. If there are several thugs
in range (due to them clustering around a body you left as bait), you can take
several out before they get a chance to run after you - they can't move while
your Takedown is in progress, and don't become "immune" to it because they
can't spot you.
* Remember that your Run (hold A+LS) is silent. Run right up to guys before
starting Silent Takedowns if you choose.
* Catwoman is a little TOO acrobatic - it can be challenging to leap to where
you wanted, since she parkours all over the place instead of sedately gliding
like Batman. This is true both of Claw Climb leaps and just leaping off
objects in the environment. Be careful, and remember you can tap B to hop down
(as opposed to moving off gently with LS or fast with LS+A).
* Heat Signature Conceal is supposedly built into the Batsuit but it works for
Catwoman too! So long as you don't move, you can't be seen by the thermal
vision guys looking at Vantage Points (gargoyles).
* Speaking of Vantage Points, you have no Inverted Takedown. It's my favorite,
so I miss it. It was one of the better ways to get armored thugs in Predator.
* Catwoman is missing the Sonic Batarang - this makes it tough to lure enemies
to a particular location. You can sometimes use a Bola for the purpose -
sometimes they'll turn and look at its source, but sometimes they'll look at
where it lands.
* Catwoman does not have to open duct gratings - they all start open. She is
missing the Air Vent Takedown that Batman has.
* Catwoman has no explosive gel; accordingly most explosive gel walls are
missing. This makes a big difference in Natural Selection, because the upper
area with two Weak Wooden Walls is instead open on one side. This does not
hold true for Black Mask (Robin's DLC Predator Challenge).
* Since Catwoman lacks the Batclaw, her hanging Ledge Takedowns only work from
close range. The underslung Ledge Takedown has better range.
For each Challenge, I've listed the Medal name, what it is/how to do it, and
how hard it is on a scale of 1-10 (and if it's hard, why).
Meltdown Mayhem
* Whipped Up - While using Ceiling Climb on a walkway, get an underslung Ledge
Takedown on an enemy above you.
** Difficulty 4/10. It is not obvious how to do this move. Either stand on
the lowest level under a walkway and tap RB to hop to the ceiling, or crouch
(RT) and tap A near the edge of a walkway to do Climb Down onto the underside
of the walkway. When a thug is above you (that's not a typo: on the walkway
above), tap Y when prompted to catch his feet with your whip and fling him off
the walkway for a KO.
* Silence is Golden - get a Silent Takedown
** Difficulty 1/10. You should be a pro at this - Silent Takedown is the bread
and butter of Predator.
* Break Your Fall - knock a thug down with Drop Attack and follow with Ground
Takedown
** Difficulty 3/10. Hop up to a high ledge or Vantage Point and tap X to fall
onto a close-by thug. Make sure the X prompt says Drop not Pounce - Pounce is
the wrong attack. You should fall feet first. The move is noisy, as is the
Ground Pound, so escape quickly afterwards.
Police Brutality
You can combine all three Medals onto the last thug if you want. I strongly
suggest combining Hit and Run with Scare Tactics.
* Whip into Shape - Use the gadget Whip Trip (tap LT) to trip a thug, then
follow with Ground Takedown
** Difficulty 2/10. This is very easy to perform on unaware thugs - just be
sure to escape after the noisy Ground Takedown.
* Scare Tactics - Surprise a terrified thug.
** Difficulty 6/10. Terrified is an AI state you can see with Batman's
Detective Mode, but as Catwoman you'll have to learn the AI clues. Generally,
once you're down to two thugs, they'll split up and vocally refuse to help each
other. They're jumpy at environmental noises, sometimes fire randomly, walk
twitchily and hunched over, and turn back and forth. In this state, just
appear in front of one (drop from above, up from a grate, around a corner) and
you'll get the medal. I think smoke (from an extinguisher) *might* put them in
this state. Also, I don't think TYGER guards have this state, and I think even
regular thugs will leave it if left alone long enough. The difficulty of 6 is
for learning the state; actually doing it is trivial.
* Hit and Run - Strike a thug.
** Difficulty 2/10. Punching is easy, just make sure they're isolated so you
have time to follow up with either a three-punch combo to knock them down, or
escape.
Natural Selection
* Cat Nap - Perform a Ceiling Climb Takedown on an enemy below you
** Difficulty 3/10. Much of the lower north hallway (assuming you start facing
north) is covered in a grating ceiling you can hop to with RT. They won't look
up to see you unless you give them reason to. Don't get caught on the ceiling
near a body or they will see you. Combine this with Grate Moves (the grates
are mostly under the ceilings) by using the body from one to draw thugs for the
other.
* Grate Moves - leap out of a floor grate for an Instant Takedown.
** Difficulty 3/10. The move is easy, waiting for a target is boring. You're
invisible while waiting, assuming there's no body nearby and the AI isn't
boosted by Extreme mode or Increased Aggression to remember your grate tricks.
It's a noisy move so escape fast. Use it to draw thugs downstairs for Cat Nap,
or vice versa.
* Have a Nice Trip - Trip a thug, then perform a Ground Takedown
** Difficulty 4/10. Catwoman is the easiest character to do this with, as her
Run (hold A + LS) is silent. Add the Trip attack by pressing RT while running.
As with all Ground Takedowns, you'll attract attention, so escape. Tripping
thugs from behind works best.
End of the Line
Hurry to your left as the level starts through the door and up the short
stairs. This alcove is where all the Weak Wooden Walls are, which you'll need
for Breaking and Entering. A thug will come along a few seconds in. Thief
Vision won't highlight the weak walls for you, but all of the panels in this
area count.
* Bola'd Over - Knock a thug over with a Bola, then get a Ground Takedown
** Difficulty 3/10. It's noisy, so it will attract attention. Pick an
isolated target with his back to you and you won't have any trouble.
* Over the Ledge - While hanging from a ledge, get a Ledge Takedown.
** Difficulty 4/10. There are lots of railings along the upper part of the
level to hang from, but you're pretty exposed on most of them. I would wait
until late in the level for this.
* Breaking and Entering - Get an Instant Takedown through a Weak Wooden Wall
** Difficulty 4/10. The hard part is patience in waiting for a target near the
walls in the SW corner of the arena (you start facing north). See my starting
advice above for a quick and easy target.
Lost City
* Caltrop Trip - Get a Ground Takedown on a thug who tripped on Caltrops.
** Difficulty 7/10. This can be very hard, because the AI (especially the
TYGER guard AI) notices and brushes aside your Caltrops. In this level, there
is one good way to get this to work reliably. The best method is to disarm a
foe (Whip Disarm, LT+Y), then throw Caltrops at their feet. The "get my gun
back" AI routine overwhelms the "don't walk through caltrops" routine, and
they'll immediately trip and you can do the Ground Takedown. I suggest waiting
for the last guard here.</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
* Round the Bend - get an Instant Takedown from Corner Cover
** Difficulty 3/10. This is a good level for this Medal. The upper level
railing-corners will work if the guards aren't alerted to your presence. The
middle-level corners work fine, but you are a little exposed from behind while
waiting there. I like to use the entrances to the lowest level hallway behind
the Weak Wooden Walls - you can draw thugs down by punching a wall.
* Pouncer - knock a thug down with Pounce Attack and follow with Ground
Takedown
** Difficulty 3/10. Hop up to a high ledge or Vantage Point and tap X to
Pounce onto a medium-distance thug. Make sure the X prompt says Pounce not
Drop - Drop is the wrong attack. You should leap arms-first first. The move
is noisy, as is the Ground Pound, so escape quickly afterwards.
Top of the World
* Gun Thief - Use Whip Disarm (LT+Y or manual) to disarm a thug
** Difficulty 1/10. It's like taking a gun away from an angry armed soldier!
Well...it's literally that, but it's not hard. Doing the move will cause them
to be gunless, so you can escape easily.
* Have a Nice Trip - Trip a thug, then perform a Ground Takedown
** Difficulty 4/10. Catwoman is the easiest character to do this with, as her
Run (hold A + LS) is silent. Add the Trip attack by pressing RT while running.
As with all Ground Takedowns, you'll attract attention, so escape. Tripping
thugs from behind works best.
* Feet First - Do a Reverse Ledge Takedown from a walkway on a thug below
** Difficulty 6/10. This is an easy move to perform but requires either
extreme patience or abuse of the AI. The hostage position offers a super-easy
Reverse Ledge Takedown - if a guard takes the hostage, just get above him and
go for it. Otherwise, your best bet is the thermal goggles thugs, who pass
under walkways frequently as they wander out to the outer platforms.
Meltdown Mayhem (Extreme)
Catwoman's low health really hurts in Extreme Predator levels. Fortunately all
the challenges in this level allow you to stay stealthy.
* Lone Gunman - get an underslung Ceiling Climb Takedown on a sniper-rifle thug
above you.
** Difficulty 4/10. This is what you'll want to do anyway in this level - get
the sniper quietly and first! Hop down to the lowest part of the level (over
to the right is easiest) and hop to the bottom of the walkways with RB. Crawl
along the walkway across the level until you're under the sniper, and wale on Y
to get anyone atop that platform (including the sniper and hopefully the
armored thug) with the underslung Takedown. If you start crawling soon after
you attack you can crawl away without anyone noticing you.
* Grate Moves - leap out of a floor grate for an Instant Takedown.
** Difficulty 4/10. The move is easy, waiting for a target is boring. There
aren't any grate, um, great ways to draw targets to the relatively exposed
grating area.
* Window Pain - get an Instant Takedown through a window.
** Difficulty 6/10. This is largely a question of patience in waiting for a
victim. You can get it using the hut you start atop, but it's way easier to
get it from within the hut in the NE (you start facing north). You'll draw
lots of attention when you use the move, but the nearby vents offer a fast
escape.
Police Brutality (Extreme)
Police Brutality (Extreme) has a very tough Bullet Proof Medal - take no
damage. To make this easier, get the thug with the Jammer first. He'll walk
along the grates 10 seconds into the level, so if you can beat him to the
grates he's an easy takedown. From where you start, the grates look like this:
/-----Y----\ |
| | |
| | |
| \-X-/
If you can get to point X within 8 seconds (run straight there, then drop
down from the railing with B while not touching LT), you can get in the grate
(RT+A). Move to point Y, and hop out (A) and do a Silent Takedown (Y) right
after he passes. Don't do a Grate Takedown unless you want a really hectic
escape; the Silent Takedown gives you time to get onto the upper area just
below where you started.
* Gun Thief - Use Whip Disarm (LT+Y or manual) to disarm a thug
** Difficulty 1/10. It's like taking a gun away from an angry armed soldier!
Well...it's literally that, but it's not hard. Doing the move will cause them
to be gunless, so you can escape easily.
* Knockout Smash - Tap X for a Knockout Smash during a Silent Takedown (thus
making it non-silent...)
** Difficulty 1.5/10. The thugs will hear it so be sure to escape promptly.
Leave it for the hostage-taking thug if you want.
* Bullet Proof - KO all thugs without taking damage.
** Difficulty: 8/10. For this medal, you need to stay stealthy. Get the
Jammer first so you can see what you're doing, then hide out as much as needed
in the N/W walkway (you start facing north). The Medal MAY allow you to take
grenade or mine damage (so long as it's not bullet damage) without penalty - I
believe I once got the Medal with incomplete health, but I'm not sure. Also,
getting shot at doesn't count so long as you don't lose health.
Natural Selection (Extreme)
* Cat Fight - take out a thug with Beat Down
** Difficulty 3/10. The move is easy, but it's noisy and leaves you
vulnerable, so do it on the last thug.
* Breaking and Entering - Get an Instant Takedown through a Weak Wooden Wall
** Difficulty 4/10. The hard part is patience in waiting for a target. I
prefer the upper alcove with two walls, but there are walls along the lower
east (you start facing north) and just north of the start that can be used as
well. There is an AI routine to lean against the upper walls and one of the
lower east walls.
* Pouncer - knock a thug down with Pounce Attack and follow with Ground
Takedown
** Difficulty 3/10. Hop up to a high ledge or Vantage Point and tap X to
Pounce onto a medium-distance thug. Make sure the X prompt says Pounce not
Drop - Drop is the wrong attack. You should leap arms-first first. The move
is noisy, as is the Ground Pound, so escape quickly afterwards.
End of the Line (Extreme)
Friends Fly Free is Catwoman's most painful Medal. This level in general is
quite challenging. For some reason, not all of the thugs are armored for
Catwoman, as they are for the other characters. There is an opening gambit to
take out the Jammer Backpack thug and one sniper. Move forwards through the
rail car on the right, turn right at the first door opening, and hop into the
floor grates. Go to the end of the grates. Wait for the Jammer thug to come
along and pick up Grate Moves with a Grate Takedown (47 seconds or so), then
run into the open air vent before you. Watch out the other side of the vent
through the rail car doors for another thug. He'll move after another few
seconds (1:04) and you can move into the rail car, turn right, and then Claw
Climb up into the sniper nest. Get the sniper with Whip Trip (tap LT) and
Ground Takedown (RT+Y) for Whip Into Shape. From here, wait patiently for a
chance at Friends Fly Free (Double Ledge Takedown).
* Whip into Shape - Use the gadget Whip Trip (tap LT) to trip a thug, then
follow with Ground Takedown
** Difficulty 2/10. This is very easy to perform on unaware thugs - just be
sure to escape after the noisy Ground Takedown. It's great on the armored
snipers, especially the one in the north nest (you start facing north).
* Friends Fly Free - get a Double Ledge Takedown while hanging from a ledge
** Difficulty 10/10. This is pure patience - you'll have to wait for two
sufficiently calm thugs to pass near each other on an upper walkway, while
you're close enough for the Double Ledge Takedown. If you mistime it, you'll
get a single Takedown and probably shot by the one you missed; if you get seen
while waiting, you'll get shot as well. This takes a lot of patience. I don't
know a way to encourage thugs to make it easier for you.
***Here are two suggestions from fcolmenarez:
"I go for [Friends Fly Free] at the beginning of the level rather than later,
due to the fact that one thug is standing still on the bridge towards the east
end of the room while one of the snipers is moving from one point to another
in the upper level and crosses that bridge making them an attractive target.
It doesn't necessarily make the level easier but it does make it more
predictable and you won't have to spend ridiculous amounts of time hoping for
two targets to cross the bridge whenever they feel like it.
I get on the westernmost vantage point undetected first. It may be hard to do
this since just going forward among the trains may cause thugs to spot you
(especially sniper #1), in that case I prefer to immediately go left up the
stairs in the hidden passage, go under the grates to the other side of the
panels, wait for the passing thug to climb up the ladder out of sight. Then I
get out of my grate, from here you can face south, run and tap your whip to
get on the westernmost vantage point.
I then work my way from the west vantage point to the southern vantage point
and face the bridge. You will see the thug standing on the bridge. The sniper
thug periodically moves from his position south towards the north and back
again crossing the same bridge. Incredibly enough you can aim the camera to
get a white cross hair under the bridge just little bit off from the idle
thug. Using your whip to leap to the bridge won't cause you to necessarily be
detected but you need to pick your moment because Jammer thug has a route on
top of the trains and might spot you. In any case I recommend leaping to this
point only when the sniper thug is starting to cross the bridge on either end.
The timing can be tricky but you should be able hang onto the bridge slightly
off of the idle thug and at worst you'll need to shimmie slightly to get the
double takedown. The window of opportunity here is small. But at least it's
predictable and you can pick your moment by observing the patrol routes of the
other thugs.
Of course once successful at this point you will get hammered by the second
sniper in the nest, so you need to drop and quickly move under the bridge and
leap into the nest. I always consistently get shot twice by the sniper but
once in you can take him down with whip trip. After that you should have both
medals missing only grate moves, but you will likely have very low health and
will still have to deal with the rest of the thugs including Jammer Thug.
However from the nest you should be able to bola-KO a few guys if you can
knock them off the train tops. At least at this point it's all about your
stealth and skills instead of hoping for chance to favor you and put two thugs
together on a bridge for the medal.
Alternatively (and I've done this only ONCE successfully). You can proceed
exactly as you do in your guide, taking out Jammer thug with grate moves and
then the nest sniper, whip up to the eastern vantage point just outside the
nest while most of the thugs should still milling around on the ground except
for the second sniper thug in the top level. You should be able to take him
out while he's crossing the bridge as he repositions. Since there should still
be 5 guys left, it is likely two or three may go up to converge on him, if you
are hanging close by this should net you an opportunity to get the double
ledge take down. It is by no means a sure thing and I failed many times before
succeeding (sadly I messed up my escape and got raked with bullets.)"
* Grate Moves - Leap out of a floor grate for an Instant Takedown.
** Difficulty 4/10. The move is easy, waiting for a target is boring. The
starting Jammer thug is the best target.
Lost City (Extreme)
This level has an interesting balance. It is easiest to guarantee Three
Strikes if you do it early - if you do it late, you may run out of thugs before
you get three different hits, and if you wait until only three are left, one
will take the hostage and become unpunchable. If you do it early, it's much
harder to escape after a punch.
* Whipped Up - While using Ceiling Climb on a walkway, get an underslung Ledge
Takedown on an enemy above you.
** Difficulty 4/10. It is not obvious how to do this move. Either stand on
the lowest level under a walkway and tap RB to hop to the ceiling, or crouch
(RT) and tap A near the edge of a walkway to do Climb Down onto the underside
of the walkway. When a thug is above you (that's not a typo: on the walkway
above), tap Y when prompted to catch his feet with your whip and fling him off
the walkway for a KO. You'll have to be underslung on the highest central part
of the level for this; be wary that thugs can see you from the middle level and
stairs.
* Knockout Smash - Tap X for a Knockout Smash during a Silent Takedown (thus
making it non-silent...)
** Difficulty 1.5/10. The thugs will hear it so be sure to escape promptly.
Leave it for the hostage-taking thug if you want.
* Three Strikes - Punch three different thugs
** Difficulty 7/10. The Medal will trigger as soon as you get a third target,
so you'll know once you have it. If you're good at escaping, get it early.
You need to start on it once four thugs are left at the latest; one will take
the hostage and become unpunchable.
Top of the World (Extreme)
Top of the World (Extreme) requires you to leave the Jammer-equipped thug for
last, meaning you have no Thief Vision. The easiest way to thin the herd fast
is by abusing Ledge Takedown-and the fact that you don't die from falling! Run
off either side of the starting area and Claw Climb up to the gargoyles. Swing
on Gargoyles until you reach a platform with a guy on it. Rotate your camera
so you are looking at the ledge in front of this guy. Drop from the gargoyle
directly into the air, not onto the platform - as you fall, you should get a
Claw Climb target on the ledge. This takes some practice. If you miss, you'll
either Claw Climb back to the gargoyle (if you choose to hit RB) or you'll
climb up somewhere else in the level (no damage) and can try again. You can
also try shimmying along ledges around the whole level, but this takes too
long. Anyway, once you're on this ledge, take the guy out with Ledge Takedown
(Y). This brings friends, so shimmy away until the "Enemies will look at
ledges when they see a body suspended in the air" message disappears. Wait for
them to turn away from the ledge, then hit one in the back with another Ledge
Takedown. Immediately drop (B) to invincibly escape! If you can catch a
Thermal Vision thug on a different platform later, you can get several guys
with this trick. You can't get more than three per platform because Ledge
Takedown is disabled where a body already hangs. You only need two guys for
Medals in this level (Beat Down one and Caltrops another), so get as many as 6
this way if you can - it's much safer than crawling around inside since they
are always on camera with this method.
* Cat Fight - take out a thug with Beat Down
** Difficulty 3/10. The move is easy, but it's noisy and leaves you
vulnerable, so do it late.
* Caltrop Trip - Get a Ground Takedown on a thug who tripped on Caltrops.
** Difficulty 7/10. There are two good ways to get this to work reliably. The
best method is to disarm a foe (Whip Disarm, LT+Y), then throw Caltrops at
their feet. The "get my gun back" AI routine overwhelms the "don't walk
through caltrops" routine, and they'll immediately trip and you can do the
Ground Takedown. The other method is to put Caltrops at the bottom of a
ladder, and then make sure they see you. They'll leap without looking, and
fall to the ground at the bottom of the ladder.
* Don't Touch that Dial - Leave the Jammer Backpack thug for last
** Difficulty 8/10. You'll have to pretty much avoid the inside of the level
because leaving this guy alive ruins Thief Vision, and you'll get shot in the
back unexpectedly quite a few times...
Black Mask (Sionis Meat Packing Factory)
This is Robin's DLC Predator Challenge. You can skip it as Catwoman to no ill
effect. You will notice that this level, like Nightwing's DLC Wayne Manor Main
Hall, is HUGE for a Predator level. Escape will rarely be an issue. I usually
go up to the second level and ahead to the hut immediately, and get Gun Thief
and Cat Fight on the thug in the hut.
* Gun Thief - Use Whip Disarm (LT+Y or manual) to disarm a thug
** Difficulty 1/10. It's like taking a gun away from an angry armed soldier!
Well...it's literally that, but it's not hard. Doing the move will cause them
to be gunless, so you can escape easily.
* Cat Fight - take out a thug with Beat Down
** Difficulty 3/10. The move is easy, but it's noisy and leaves you
vulnerable, so do it on either the last thug, or a thug isolated in a room.
* Grate Moves - leap out of a floor grate for an Instant Takedown.
** Difficulty 3/10. The move is easy, waiting for a target is boring. You're
invisible while waiting, assuming there's no body nearby and the AI isn't
boosted by Extreme mode or Increased Aggression to remember your grate tricks.
It's a noisy move so escape fast.
Wayne Manor Main Hall
This is Nightwing's DLC Predator Challenge. You can skip it as Catwoman to no
ill effect. Skull Cracker is tough, but not as hard as Friends Fly Free was.
* Cat Nap - Perform a Ceiling Climb Takedown on an enemy below you
** Difficulty 3/10. The lower hallways in the middle area (above the floor
gratings) offer climbable ceilings for this move. If you can't get Skull
Cracker the way I suggest below, use a Cat Nap body to draw thugs into this
narrow area; you may be able to drop down behind a pair (as they arrive or
leave) to get Skull Cracker.
* Pouncer - knock a thug down with Pounce Attack and follow with Ground
Takedown
** Difficulty 3/10. Hop up to a high ledge or Vantage Point and tap X to
Pounce onto a medium-distance thug. Make sure the X prompt says Pounce not
Drop - Drop is the wrong attack. You should leap arms-first first. The move
is noisy, as is the Ground Pound, so escape quickly afterwards.
* Skull Cracker - Get a (standing) Double Takedown
** Difficulty 9/10. This may take quite a few tries to get. The non-Extremity
of the level means that it's not really that hard in and of itself, but I can't
find a reliable method to trigger thugs in the right positions, so I gave it a
high score. One method is to use Cat Nap as bait (see above). Another method
is to go for a thug pair that occurs at 1:05. The thug who patrols the upper
east walkway (you start facing north) will pass the thug in the upper walkway
on the north side of the room at 1:05 or so. If you follow along behind the
moving thug and watch the other thugs' line of sight carefully, you can slip in
and get this Medal on these two. If it fails, escape, and try for it with Cat
Nap later.
===============================================================================
9. Campaign special notes
Here, I have listed the campaign conditions, what order you should take them
in, and why. I may be missing positive conditions (Replenishing Health and
Takedown Projectiles) because they are irrelevant if you are good at the
levels; take them when you need them. First, some notes on conditions in
general:
* Negative conditions matter a lot less on Combat Challenges than Predator
Challenges, so get used to loading up on negatives there.
* Time Limit: You should always take Time Limit on Combat Challenges. Unless
you aim for record times, Predator Challenges are best done calmly and slowly.
* Increased Aggression great for Combat Challenges, because enemies will have
more health. More health means they take more hits, which means greater
combos.
* Super Powered is useless in Predator (extra crawl speed) but excellent in
Combat (stun rods, shields, and armor no longer prevent attacks).
* Decreased Health is much worse in Predator (start with a sliver of health, so
you can take no hits) than Combat (start with a weak normal health bar, but
with the split bullets/punches bonus health full).
* Avoid using Beat Down while One Hand Tied is active - not seeing incoming
counterable attacks makes the move harder to pull off. Against Lieutenants and
Titans, position the camera carefully and jump around as much as needed.
* Gadget Malfunction is suicide on Predator maps - no Thief Vision!
* Generally Gadget Malfunction and Danger Zones pair poorly in combat - you'll
want Bolas to deal with distant gunners.
* You get infinite retries on the first level of each campaign, but only four
tries altogether for the latter two. Front-load hard conditions onto the first
level, and don't waste Free Medal early!
Search and Destroy
* Meltdown Mayhem
* Blind Justice (Protective Aura and Time Limit)
* Police Brutality (take Replenishing Health if you didn't yet)
Street Justice
* Rooftop Rumble (Decreased Health, One Hand Tied)
* Natural Selection (Takedown Projectiles)
* Survival of the Fittest
Offensive Maneuvers
* Funhouse Brawl (Danger Zones, Scattered Weapons)
* End of the Line (Free Medal, Replenishing Health)
** I suggest skipping Over the Ledge.
* Hell's Gate
City Invader
* Top of the World (Increased Aggression)
** Increased Aggression is a bonus on Combat maps, but take it here because the
other three conditions are best handled on Prison Riot.
* Prison Riot (Gadget Malfunction, Decreased Health, Super Powered)
** Gadget Malfunction and Decreased Health are both very hard to handle in
Predator but no issue in Combat. You can swap Increased Aggression for Super
Powered if you like.
* Lost City
Midnight Assault
* Natural Selection (Extreme)
** Avoid Danger Zones here - the Vantage Points are the best spots for Pouncer,
although you can get it from railings if needed.
* Hell's Gate (Extreme) (Scattered Weapons, Increased Aggression, Danger Zones)
** Swap Scattered Weapons into another level if you need Replenishing Health
here.
* Meltdown Mayhem (Extreme) (Free Medal, Replenishing Health)
Hostile Takeover
* Prison Riot (Extreme) (Decreased Health, One Hand Tied, Time Limit)
** Frontload the hard conditions since you have infinite retries. Prison Riot
features the most shields and stun rods, making Super Powered great, but the
Titans and Lieutenants in Funhouse Brawl (Extreme) make Decreased Health a
hazard there. Time Limit and One Hand Tied both make those Titans tougher too.
* Police Brutality (Extreme)
* Funhouse Brawl (Extreme) (Super Powered, Protective Aura)
Double Jeopardy
* Lost City (Extreme) (Protective Aura)
** Be wary of Protective Aura interfering with your punches for Three Strikes.
* Rooftop Rumble (Extreme) (Gadget Malfunction, Scattered Weapons, Increased
Aggression)
* End of the Line (Extreme) (Free Medal, Takedown Projectiles)
** Skip Friends Fly Free. Use my method to take out the Jammer Backpack thug
and one sniper for Grate Moves and Whip into Shape respectively, then go to
town with the Takedown Projectiles!
Ruthless Vengeance
The big question for this campaign is whether you have more trouble getting
medals with the small number of foes in Blind Justice (Extreme), or if you have
more trouble with surviving the Titans on Survival of the Fittest (Extreme).
Take Danger Zones on whichever gives you less trouble.
* Survival of the Fittest (Extreme) (Decreased Health, Gadget Malfunction,
Danger Zones?)
** You don't want to deal with Time Limit with Titans around, and One Hand Tied
limits your ability to block incoming attacks while waling on Titans, so take
the other negatives here instead.
* Top of the World (Extreme) (Super Powered)
** Super Powered doesn't help, but it doesn't help much on the Combat
challenges either.
* Blind Justice (Extreme) (Time Limit, One Hand Tied, Danger Zones?)
Combat Expert
* Survival of the Fittest (Time Limit, Danger Zones)
** You can swap Increased Aggression for Time Limit. They're dangerous
together because the extra health keeps enemies alive too long.
* Funhouse Brawl (Increased Aggression)
** I prefer Increased Aggression here to hit the high score targets. Note with
Increased Aggression in play, you can avoid the Lieutenant if you prefer and
leave him until late in the stage - you'll get plenty of points from the large
numbers of extra-health thugs.
* Prison Riot (Replenishing Health, if not needed elsewhere)
Predator Expert
* Meltdown Mayhem (Scattered Weapons)
** You can't afford One Hand Tied here - you are required to do a Silent
Takedown, which that condition prevents. Gadget Malfunction makes spotting
targets for Whipped Up a little hard.
* Lost City (Gadget Malfunction, One Hand Tied, Takedown Projectiles)
** Your Medals here are mostly open-level medals, making the loss of Thief
Vision tenable. Use the Takedown Projectiles to thin the herd.
* Top of the World
Combat Master
* Blind Justice (Extreme) (Decreased Health, One Hand Tied, Scattered Weapons)
* Rooftop Rumble (Extreme) (Gadget Malfunction)
* Hell's Gate (Extreme) (Super Powered, Protective Aura)
** Hell's Gate features the most shields/armor/stun rods of this triplet, so
save Super Powered for last.
Predator Master
This campaign requires balancing what conditions will make which medals
impossible. There are some tough choices.
* Police Brutality (Extreme) (Danger Zones, Time Limit?)
** Take Time Limit if you are confident. You can hide in the side hallway and
won't need the Vantage Points, so Danger Zones isn't so bad.
* Natural Selection (Extreme) (Increased Aggression, Protective Aura, Scattered
Weapons)
** Avoid Danger Zones here - the Vantage Points are the best spots for Pouncer,
although you can get it from railings if needed.
* End of the Line (Extreme) (Time Limit?, Free Medal)
** Skip Friends Fly Free. Use my method to take out the Jammer Backpack thug
and one sniper for Grate Moves and Whip into Shape respectively.
Black Mask Campaign (not needed for Achievements)
* Black Mask (Super Powered, One Hand Tied)
** There are few enough, and non-Extreme, foes that Silent Takedowns aren't
needed, and Super Powered has no use in the weapon-light Freight Train.
* Freight Train (Gadget Malfunction, Reduced Health)
Wayne Manor Campaign (not needed for Achievements)
* Wayne Manor Armory (Protective Aura, Scattered Weapons)
* Wayne Manor Main Hall (Danger Zones, Takedown Projectiles)
** Danger Zones is irrelevant here; there are tightropes on the ceiling that
work as Vantage Points but are not booby trapped, so you can avoid the trapped
Vantage Points. You dare not risk Protective Aura ruining Skull Cracker.
===============================================================================
10. Story Mode walkthrough
Catwoman's story is split into four sections. First is a prologue to the main
story; second and third are interludes while Batman is otherwise occupied, and
then finally she has an epilogue that bleeds into free roaming for Riddler
Trophies. Note this section does have spoilers...
Part 1: Two-Faced Thugs
Part 1 is very short and simple. There are some of Two-Face's thugs; KO them,
and then open the safe to trigger a cutscene ending the level. Two-Face will
capture you, and Catwoman will leave the story until Batman saves her in the
Courthouse.
Part 2: Arkham City Sirens
Catwoman starts on the northeast end of the city, looking at a giant door to
the Confiscated Goods vault. Catwoman can't pass up a chance to rob the vault,
so she tries to decide how to break in. Ultimately she decides on Poison Ivy,
who has an enclave at the north end of the city.
Before visiting Ivy, you must drop in on Catwoman's apartment to collect her
"stuff" - her Bolas and Caltrops gadgets. Travel along the rooftops to your
quest marker; you'll find 4 guys in a large metal cage. From the top of the
cage, duck and enter through a grate, and get a free Takedown with Y (Combat
Takedown = Instant Takedown, except you're forced to do the Knockout Smash). I
suggest taking out the one with the gun if one is armed (they are on New Game
+). Take out the other three, and then use Thief Vision to identify which
apartment is yours (look for the blue claw marks and live cat). Tap A to
activate the scene to get your Bolas and Caltrops.
Hop back to the ceiling (RB), climb out a grate (A), and then follow your
marker to Ivy's lair. Once you get close, you'll see her building (covered in
vines and green gas) is connected by a metal walkway to another roof with three
armed thugs patrolling it. These thugs can be pretty challenging because
Catwoman is too fragile to take many bullets, and there's no good escape route
if they see you (other than leaping into the water). I suggest doing a Silent
Takedown on one on the upper walkway, then Climb Down and wait for one of the
other two to notice the body. Both will run to look at the body, at which
point you can get one and possibly both with the underslung Ledge Takedown. If
you only get one, you're ok; the remaining guy you can throw Bolas at until he
falls over or you're close enough to punch him out.
Climb *under* the walkway leading over to Poison Ivy's lair - it's an under
entrance so there's an excuse to keep Batman out. Once you pass the iron bars
above you can climb over to the top of the walkway and enter the door normally.
Next up is basically a short Combat Challenge against some of Ivy's thugs.
She's not happy to see you so she knocks you into a pit (where'd it come from?
I don't know). First, there are 4 guys to take out. The room starts flooding
with gas when the fourth goes down - hop to the ceiling (RB) then climb up with
A to reach the next level. This level has 6 guys, probably with some armored
or weapon-wielding thugs mixed in. Fight them as close to the ledge as you
can, because big FreeFlow kicks and punches can send them over the edge for an
early KO. Once they're done, climb up again as before and face 8 guys, plus
interference from Ivy. Ivy's plants shoot the same pain-spore things they shot
in Arkham Asylum to interrupt your combos. Keep moving with Redirect and
they'll cause you no trouble. Once the last guy goes down, a cutscene begins,
and you'll get the Arkham City Sirens achievement.
Part 3: Pick Pocket
Either Part 2 took forever, or poor Catwoman has been in Ivy's clutches
(literally) for a long time, because Part 3 picks up with you still all tied
up. Ivy gives in to Catwoman's request for help breaking into the Confiscated
Goods vault in return for a promise to get an item for Ivy from the vault as
well. Ivy releases you. Travel back to where Part 2 started; you'll find a
few TYGER guards reporting on the vault break-in. Usually one is armored, one
has a gun, and one a shield. Take them out, and then enter the sewer. Follow
the sewer to the vault.
The Confiscated Goods vault is basically a Predator Challenge for Catwoman:
take the guys out without being seen. First, you have to steal keycards for
the vault computer. There are 5 identical keycards (on 5 guards); you need to
steal any three without being seen. You can Ceiling Climb along invisibly
until one is alone, drop behind him, steal the card (I believe the button
prompt is Y), then hop up again. You can also get the two right in front of
the vault at once if you time it well. Either way, once you've got 3, go back
to the computer where you started. This will unlock the vault, but also alert
the guards to your presence.
Re-enter the vault area (preferably via the ceiling) and take out the 5 guards.
I prefer to Ceiling Takedown the first, Corner the next as he comes running,
then hide until the third reverts to searching AI. Get him however you feel
like it; this will cause the two door guards to start looking. Once they're
gone you can enter the vault.
There are two items of interest in the vault. Ivy's flower, on the left, can
be ignored (or destroyed if you're feeling spiteful). You apparently cannot
return it as promised. On the right are two briefcases. Pick them up to
trigger the Pick Pocket achievement...
..and a whole bunch of TYGER guards. This set of guards is fully decked out -
most have armor, a shield, or a stun rod. Take them out and re-collect your
briefcases, then walk straight forward to the end of the room. Catwoman will
be able to see Batman's body under concrete, where he has fallen in battle
after Protocol 10 took out the Sionis Steel Mill where he battled the Joker.
Catwoman is faced with a choice: does she save Batman to pay him back for that
little acid vat incident (or simply because of their romantic history, if you
prefer it that way), or does she escape with "the score of a lifetime"? It
doesn't really matter what you choose, the game makes you save Batman. I
suggest trying to leave Arkham City (by walking out the doors to the right) -
once you're up the steps, the end credits will play for a while. Eventually
Oracle's voice will make a plaintive radio call for help, saying that Joker has
killed everybody without Batman to stop him. The game will then "rewind" and
let you 'choose' the right path: dropping the briefcases and saving Batman. Go
back the way you came; once you enter the sewer area the path Ivy carved you
will collapse. Once you exit the sewer the game will cut to the Steel Mill and
return control to Batman.
Part 4: Family Jewels
Catwoman starts her fourth and final section overlooking the entrance to the
Monarch Theater, after watching Batman bring Joker's body out. She decides to
collect her loot and get out of town. Head back to your apartment. When you
try to enter, you'll discover somebody set you up the bomb! When you awake,
take the four guys out and head over to the Museum to take out Two-Face and
recover the treasure he stole from you.
You can avoid most enemies on the way to the museum, but you'll need to take
out the guards on the door. One will have a shield - remember to use Instant
Takedown (Y+B) or Aerial Attack (B,A,A) on him. Head inside when you're done.
There will be 5 guys with a few knives at the bottom of the stairs; they should
pose no problem. Feel free to mock the Penguin!
In the Gladiator Pit, there will be a mob of 21 guys waiting for you. There
are no stun rods, shields, or armored enemies in the group, so it's really your
chance to get that combo counter sky-high. You should be able to break 100 and
may be able to top 150!
Move into the next room (slide under the grate and Claw Climb up the elevator
shaft if the electricity is on. Enter the Torture Chamber. You'll need to
cross it somehow, but you've no Freeze Blast/Batclaw and no Line Launcher, so
you can't get to the War Room (west) or the Iceberg Lounge (north).
Fortunately you can get to the Armory to the east.
Notice the cage in the SW corner of the room. It will have a trophy in it if
you haven't been there yet. Use Climb Down (RT+A) to flip over to the bottom
of the grating and climb along until you find a grating to flip through. Look
up and you'll see another walkway above you to hang on to. Hop up with Ceiling
Climb (RB) and make your way north then east to the Armory entrance. There
will be 3 gun-toting guards outside.
Entering the Armory will start a boss battle with Two-Face. This battle is a
little like the Mr. Freeze battle. Two-Face has a health bar, but there are
also regular guards patrolling like a normal Predator room. The guards do NOT
have heartbeat monitors, so you can take them out freely, and nobody will
notice unless they stumble on the body. Also, Two-Face will call for
reinforcements whenever he feels threatened-he'll yell "What are you doing?
Help me!" or something similar. These reinforcements appear in the area near
the door, so avoid that area if there are fewer than three guards running
around. Two-Face starts with 6 guards. Also, Youngblood00000 points out that
if you get all 6 guards without alerting Two-Face, you can keep him stunned
with Beat Down or repeated punches without him ever getting a chance to call
for reinforcements.
Here's a strategy that works for me. Assume north is the direction you are
facing when you start the level (thus you start at the south wall).
1) Run along the far east side of the room until you encounter a guard walking
east, right next to the two Weak Wooden Walls. Perform a Silent Takedown from
behind. (1 down)
2) Keep running along the upper level to the NW corner and perform another
Silent Takedown. (2 down).
3) There are three guards patrolling the lower area. Nobody upstairs is
likely to see you - run around behind them and take them out silently as fast
as you can manage. Avoid the grate takedown as it's noisy, but do hide in the
grates as necessary. If you're quick, you should be able to get one to the
east of the mammoth, one entering the lower passageway in the west, and one
along the south wall (or walking north from that south passage) (5 down).
4) The hard part is getting the last thug on the bridge without Two-Face
noticing. Work your way up to the east side of the upper walkway and watch the
pair. Learn Two-Face's movements and wait for him to turn away, then dash in
for a Silent Takedown on the last thug. (6 down).
5) If Two-Face hasn't seen you, punch him if he's standing and wait for him to
stand if he's on the ground. He can't call for reinforcements while being
punched or on the ground, so keep the pressure up and you'll win quickly.
(Thanks to Youngblood00000 for pointing this out!)
6) If Two-Face noticed you, fixed strategies won't work as the AI becomes
unpredictable. Any time Two-Face is out of range of his guards, zip in, punch
him thrice, and zip away again. The battle ends on the last punch, so feel
free to do a kamikaze attack where you're being shot at but he goes down first.
Two-Face will brag that he gave away one part in two of the loot he stole from
you. Catwoman vows to get the rest of it back.
At this point, Catwoman's story is sort of over. Control will revert to Batman
outside the Museum, but you're right on a character swap point (notice the cats
on the roof). Switch back to Catwoman to finish up her last mission.
There are 16 guys scattered outdoors in the Bowery and Park Row. With Thief
Vision on, you can see them marked with a jewel above their heads and a pulsing
red sphere (like Bane's Titan containers). They look normal without Thief
Vision on. Take out those 16 any way you please and the mission will be
complete and the Family Jewels achievement will be yours! Most of the gun-
toting henchmen are easy prey for Silent Takedowns to avoid engaging groups
with guns. The one on the roof of the tall building with a helipad can be
gotten with a Ledge Takedown. Most of the rest are in packs of gunless foes at
street level who pose little threat. Also, once you have the jewel-carrier in
a group, you can feel free to run away without KOing the rest.
At this point, Catwoman has no other missions. You should drop in on Mr.
Freeze and his wife, and also Poison Ivy, for amusing cutscenes. You can also
collect all the Catwoman Riddler trophies for the Sphinx's Riddle achievement.
fcolmenarez pointed out that you can visit a lot more than Mr. Freeze and
Poison Ivy. Catwoman has cutscenes for Mad Hatter, Bane, and Calendar Man.
You can sort-of interact with Zsasz, as well as the Church and Iceberg Lounge
guards. There's no way to see Riddler, Hush, Killer Croc, or Scarecrow.
===============================================================================
11. Copyright, acknowledgements, and contact info
Thanks to:
Youngblood00000 - If you get 6 unnoticed silent TDs in the Two-Face battle, you
can take Two-Face out without letting him call for help.
eulbedoc - Counter advice
Stijn van Empel - Whip Trip / Lieutenants
fcolmenarez - Postgame easter eggs, Friends Fly Free strategy
Lunatic LK47 - Typo correction
You can contact me with corrections, suggestions, strategies, or proofreading
edits at stillnotelf ==at-symbol== gmail ==you-know-it's-a-dot== com.
Copyright 2012 Steven Lewis. I have borrowed GameFAQs' suggested copyright
notice: This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for
personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise
distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on
any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited,
and a violation of copyright.
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document (such at Batman,
Nightwing, Robin, Catwoman, and the game title Batman: Arkham City) are owned
by their respective trademark and copyright holders.
