Evil expanded
As the year starts its final run towards the end I have been reflecting on all the great games that have dropped in 2023. Funny enough one of my favorite entries has fallen to the wayside after the bombardment of quality titles this year. Resident Evil 4 Remake continues Capcom’s trend of remaking every numbered entry in the series with amazing results. I was quickly reminded of this when the DLC for RE4R dropped and I dove back into the world. This expansion follows Ada Wong and takes place during the events of RE4 and once again seeing all these events playing out reminds me why Capcom has truly found a winning formula with the Resident Evil Remakes.
MSRP: $9.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, PC
Price I’d Pay: $9.99
Separate Ways is an expansion of the core game that was also featured in the original. This follows Ada Wong and her adventures during the event. It plays nearly identical to the core game but on a smaller scale. Ada still has a case to keep weapons and play inventory Tetris with, the same weapon and upgrade system, and even the merchant makes plenty of appearances scattered with some side missions.
The biggest change with this DLC is the grappling hook that Ada has access to. This has specific points it can latch onto and allows her to reach areas of the core game that Leon was simply not able to access. This works on two levels as it allows the developers to re-use plenty of assets while also expanding the game with some places that just were not seen in the core campaign. It also fleshes out the story as it showcases the events taking place in tandem with Leon’s mission and much like the original game it is extremely well acted and written. The lore of Resident Evil has always been good, but it has never been told as well as it has been in these remakes.
The combat remains mostly the same with the exception of the grappling hook. Ada can use it when enemies are in a weakened state to pull in for close combat. It is a nice touch and one that is more fun than it has any right to be. The shooting still feels outstanding and I personally have enjoyed the more action-oriented style of these remakes.
Much like the core game this DLC hits most of the high notes of the original with a few pieces added back in and some removed for pacing. The campaign lasts around six hours, which is exceptional for a DLC campaign like this. As reference I recently finished the High on Knife DLC and it was just shy of two hours. There is a lot here including voice acting, cut scenes and lots to see and do. I really had a great time revisiting this game and it was a great reminder that RE4 Remake is still one of the best games to drop in 2023.
Separate Ways is easy to recommend. The price is right, the length is nearly perfect, and everything I loved about the original is still here. The boss fights are fun and the story being fleshed out is appreciated. I cannot recommend this enough. A must have for fans and anyone who enjoys a solid single player action game in general.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
