Separate Methods was all the time only a tacked-on bonus for the PS2 model of Resident Evil 4, a mode that gave that port one thing to name its personal. It made its strategy to nearly each rerelease after, however by no means stood out and, not like the bottom recreation, was merely a one-off distraction. A disposable and forgettable further marketing campaign like this wouldn’t make a worthy enlargement. This remake of Separate Methods is by no means a haphazard assortment of recycled situations, however is as an alternative a whole reimagining that addresses its previous failures and now stands proper alongside the bottom marketing campaign.
Separate Methods is ready to escape the notion of being an pointless further by having its personal story with cutscenes and new areas. Ada’s journey overlaps with Leon’s in some methods — which is pure for a parallel plotline — however having the ability to run by way of barely totally different phases offers Separate Methods its personal identification. These new locations additionally construct out the world and present how Ada may control Leon with out him seeing.
![Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways DLC Review (PS5): Ada's Excellent Adventure](https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/Resident-Evil-4_20230923134231.jpg?w=1024)
Capcom, extra importantly, makes use of these authentic locations to arrange authentic encounters. Like the bottom recreation, there are only a few simple battles; there’s nearly all the time some type of hook. One part might have gamers blasting bugs hiding below the water, whereas one other has them capturing contaminated armor units in a cramped room as errant crossbow photographs pour in.
Some are scary, a couple of are filled with motion, and others discover a glad medium, all of which exhibit Resident Evil 4’s unimaginable selection. A number of of them are even remixed sections from the 2005 recreation that didn’t make their manner into the remake, as soon as once more displaying Capcom’s capacity to cleverly subvert expectations. Many of those callbacks match extra naturally right here, too, and provides Ada a number of the climactic fights she lacked within the authentic Separate Methods.
![Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways DLC Review (PS5): Ada's Excellent Adventure](https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/09/Resident-Evil-4_20230923133541.jpg?w=1024)
Ada strikes and shoots simply as fluidly as Leon, however has one benefit over him: her grapple gun. This software offers gamers the means to zoom over to a faraway enemy and fan kick them and their close by buddies or zip to designated grappling factors. The added utility makes Ada a bit of extra agile, however doesn’t ratchet up the depth an excessive amount of or make Separate Methods too simple. Not each encounter is affected by grappling factors, both, so it’s a novel mechanic that doesn’t get overused or skew the sport’s delicate stability.
Separate Methods can be in a position to have a extra clear problem curve as a result of it’s now potential to improve Ada’s arsenal. It’s seemingly a small contact, nevertheless it offers gamers causes to discover and search treasure and lets them develop in energy alongside their foes. Resident Evil 4’s improve economic system has all the time been one among its strengths, so its absence within the first Separate Methods contributed to its shallow nature. Mixed with its own set of unlockables, Separate Methods is now a extra full expertise that completely understands that merely placing Ada in the identical ranges as Leon isn’t sufficient. Emulating Resident Evil 4’s success is far more complicated, and the improve loop and suite of unlockables are important items of that puzzle.
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A extra full narrative presentation is yet one more manner this remade enlargement excels over its supply materials. Whereas boring voiceover narration and jarring cuts tried to sew collectively a separate story out of present content material within the authentic, Separate Methods now has its personal set of cutscenes that organically lead from one place to a different. It’s a extra cohesive story that makes use of these extra scenes to additional discover Ada’s relationship with Wesker and Luis. And regardless that Ada’s monotone voice appearing nonetheless drags it down, her added private stakes to the story give it extra nuance and in addition effectively arrange its most tense boss struggle that has a number of thrilling phases.
Resident Evil 4: Separate Methods DLC Evaluate: Remaining Verdict
Separate Methods is now not a superfluous further due to all of those astute modifications. With its concentrate on replayability, upgrades, and distinctive encounters, this enlargement extra deeply understands what makes Resident Evil 4 Resident Evil 4 and has all of the unpredictability of the remake. However not like the remake, Capcom couldn’t simply keep the essence of what was already there as a result of the unique Separate Methods was so underwhelming. As a substitute, it deftly rebuilt Ada’s aspect story and turned it into an integral a part of the Resident Evil 4 remake.
Disclaimer: This Resident Evil 4: Separate Methods DLC evaluation is predicated on a PS5 copy offered by the writer. Performed on model 1.100.000.