Yes, it looks abysmal. Hopefully, as you're reading this, there is a costume designer in Hollywood who has been horse-whipped and humiliated for the lacerated gimp suit we're meant to believe constitutes Catwoman's wardrobe. Couldn't they have just torn up an old PVC coat like Selina Kyle once did? Couldn't Catwoman spend the days going through a traumatic paranoid schizophrenic episode whilst licking her undercarriage? That's what Catwoman is supposed to be. But, here she is, feline fatale reincarnate with a bag of pussy jokes, a loada bling, and ears you could string a washing line between.

Thankfully, it appears the developer has paid no attention to the forthcoming avalanche of kitty litter, instead choosing to take inspiration from the deepest depths of Persia. Catwoman the game isn't a disaster, nor is it a cheap tie-in (well, the film will have to recoup some of its staggering losses, won't it?), and nor is it a travesty to Michelle Pfeiffer's moggy memory either. This is a camp, bling-packed homage to Prince Of Persia, and while it doesn't quite live up to the master, there are flashes of brilliance.

Patience Price is bumped off after uncovering a gruesome secret about her employers (we won't spoil it, but don't go buying any anti-wrinkle cream from Hedare Beauty in a hurry), and turns moggy thanks to a whole heap of voodoo mumbo-jumbo. This of course imbues her with a desire for revenge, tuna, milk, and ripping to shreds the nearest loo roll. It also means that she's given the characteristics of a cat, and there isn't a trick missed when it comes to her feline prowess (and this is where Prince Of Persia comes into play). The majority of the levels are designed like a giant climbing frame, a pathway of deviously designed routes that will need a huge effort and mastery of your cat skills to traverse. If you're looking for a game crammed to the hilt with bad guys looking for some pussy-whipping, think again, Catwoman is a puzzler of sorts, with the environments themselves providing the challenge. You'll have to use your whip to swing from poles; you'll be back-flipping off a wall to land on a precarious ledge opposite you; you'll leap from great heights, hitting a pole straight on, then swoop around it to launch yourself upwards to another ledge. Your whip can also be used for lassoing around hard-to-reach areas, then hoisting yourself up. You are more agile than all but the Prince himself, and mastery of your gifts is essential to make any kind of headway.

There are a few stumbling blocks though, namely the lack of fluidity to your movement, and every action is a pre-determined animation. You can't suddenly switch directions or stop flicking your whip if you've already set in motion the animation to do so, and that is where Prince Of Persia has the major advantage. You're also very likely to die (don't worry, you do have nine lives) due to the poor perspective and cameras. Catwoman is a feisty creature too - you'll be lucky to get her gracefully lowering herself from a ledge; she seems to prefer hurling herself in every direction. Hardly what you'd call handy when you're 15 storeys up.

Combat is a lesson learned through the earning of stolen loot. The more you earn during a stage, the more you have to spend on learning new tricks, such as whipping weapons out of enemy hands or dragging a victim your way with your whip wrapped round their neck. It's fun, but the bizarre combinations of buttons you need to use throughout the game are baffling. Thrusting the analogue sticks to and fro and pressing the Right trigger is all you'll need to perform just about every move in the game - a shame because when you want to take a peek around, make a leap, and grab hold of something, you're often left hanging in mid-air before crashing to the ground.

Despite this though, the game is strangely likeable. Catwoman is a bitch - she really doesn't suffer fools gladly, and will happily go at it with a gang of knuckleheads until they flee like sissies. The environments are devious and will pickle the brains of anyone without a skipful of saint-like patience, and there's a charm to it that you rarely find in film tie-ins. The game wants to be different, you can feel it in the programming; it wants to challenge you through the fantastic level setpieces, and it wants to encapsulate an essence of what Catwoman should be. It's fair to say, that although a sequel is unlikely, eight out of ten gamers will say their Xboxes preferred it to other brands of tie-in.

1. Clever game design
2. Packed with style
3. Highly original

1. Sticky control system
2. Can be infuriating
3. Will suffer by association

Power
It's glossy, and Catwoman's curves are best seen on Xbox, but beyond this very little power is being used.

Style
Smooth, packed to the hilt with bling, and camp as a row of tents. It's a joy to play.

Immersion
You'll want to make it to the top of the levels and will claw your hair out if you fail. You. Will. Try. Again.

Lifespan
Not many levels, but they're huge and damned frustrating, which makes the game feel much bigger.

Summary
Solid, inventive, enjoyable title, marred slightly by the controls and the fact it's based on a film that will stink to high heaven.