Resident Evil 4: Separate Methods DLC Evaluation (PS5): Ada’s Wonderful Journey

Separate Methods was at all times 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 option to virtually 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 additional marketing campaign like this wouldn’t make a worthy growth. This remake of Separate Methods is under no circumstances a haphazard assortment of recycled eventualities, however is as a substitute 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 additional 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 with the ability to run via barely completely different levels offers Separate Methods its personal identification. These new locations additionally construct out the world and present how Ada may regulate Leon with out him seeing. 

Capcom, extra importantly, makes use of these unique locations to arrange unique encounters. Like the bottom recreation, there are only a few easy battles; there’s virtually at all times some kind of hook. One part might have gamers blasting bugs hiding beneath the water, whereas one other has them capturing contaminated armor units in a cramped room as errant crossbow pictures pour in. 

Some are scary, a couple of are filled with motion, and others discover a comfortable medium, all of which show Resident Evil 4’s unbelievable selection. A couple of of them are even remixed sections from the 2005 recreation that didn’t make their method into the remake, as soon as once more displaying Capcom’s skill 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 unique Separate Methods.

Ada strikes and shoots simply as fluidly as Leon, however has one benefit over him: her grapple gun. This instrument 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 slightly extra agile, however doesn’t ratchet up the depth an excessive amount of or make Separate Methods too simple. Not each encounter is plagued 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 also be in a position to have a extra clear issue curve as a result of it’s now attainable to improve Ada’s arsenal. It’s seemingly a small contact, however 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 at all times been certainly one of its strengths, so its absence within the first Separate Methods contributed to its shallow nature. Mixed with its personal set of unlockables, Separate Methods is now a extra full expertise that totally understands that merely placing Ada in the identical ranges as Leon is just not sufficient. Emulating Resident Evil 4’s success is way more complicated, and the improve loop and suite of unlockables are important items of that puzzle.

A extra full narrative presentation is one more method this remade growth excels over its supply materials. Whereas boring voiceover narration and jarring cuts tried to sew collectively a separate story out of current content material within the unique, 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 further scenes to additional discover Ada’s relationship with Wesker and Luis. And though Ada’s monotone voice appearing nonetheless drags it down, her added private stakes to the story give it extra nuance and likewise effectively arrange its most tense boss combat that has a number of thrilling phases.

Resident Evil 4: Separate Methods DLC Evaluation: Ultimate Verdict

Separate Methods is not a superfluous additional due to all of those astute modifications. With its concentrate on replayability, upgrades, and distinctive encounters, this growth 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 preserve the essence of what was already there as a result of the unique Separate Methods was so underwhelming. As an alternative, it deftly rebuilt Ada’s facet story and turned it into an integral a part of the Resident Evil 4 remake.

Disclaimer: This Resident Evil 4: Separate Methods DLC assessment relies on a PS5 copy offered by the writer. Performed on model 1.100.000.