Resident Evil 4: Separate Methods Evaluation (PS5)

This yr’s Resident Evil 4 is without doubt one of the biggest remakes of all time, however purists — or at the least those that had already performed the PS2 model — will inform you it was nonetheless lacking one thing. When the Nintendo GameCube unique was ported to Sony’s second residence system, it got here bundled with new campaigns all about facet character Ada Wong. Separate Methods was an important of the bunch, and 6 months after the PS5, PS4 remake’s launch, it is again as DLC for Capcom’s latest masterpiece. 18 years later, it has the identical impact: Separate Methods meaningfully expands the Resident Evil 4 story and supplies a tantalising motive to return to among the finest video games ever.

Informed from the angle of the mysterious red-dressed character, Separate Methods reveals what Ada Wong is as much as whereas Leon S. Kennedy is busy saving the president’s daughter. She’s there on a mission from Albert Wesker to steal the Amber from the clutches of Osmund Saddler, with Luis appearing as sidekick. Seven chapters fill within the gaps when Ada is off doing her personal factor, which broaden the bottom sport’s village, fort, and island areas with new areas and options to make them appear and feel contemporary for a second go to.

It performs like a “Best Hits” tackle the unique expertise as Separate Methods strikes at such a breakneck tempo there’s little time to take a breather. Already aware of the controls and the unbelievable, action-focused gameplay loop of the PS5, PS4 remake, Capcom cranks issues up a notch with extra enemy density and more durable boss battles in amongst lots of the similar spots from Leon’s marketing campaign. Largely forgoing the explorative nature of Resident Evil 4, the growth is extra condensed and linear to make battle its most important draw. You may comply with the same construction as the bottom sport (beginning within the village earlier than heading contained in the fort after which offshore to the island), however new devices give Ada’s narrative its personal really feel and elegance.

Her trademark grappling gun is what units Separate Methods aside probably the most, permitting Ada to shortly traverse the setting and keep away from hazard or attain new areas. With grapple factors indicated by round in-game icons, you possibly can swing in regards to the map and get the drop on enemies ought to they be in vary upon touchdown. The gizmo is simply as helpful throughout commonplace fight encounters: upon staggering a Ganado, you possibly can comply with up with a ranged melee assault that makes use of the grappling gun to drag Ada in direction of an enemy and end them off with a swift kick to the pinnacle. Whereas the weapon is just usable when the sport says so, it ties into the extra agile nature of the character.

That is demonstrated finest by the very fact stealth is a way more viable method within the DLC. Whereas it’s potential to keep away from a battle or two as Leon, the unique title by no means actually feels purposefully designed to help covertness and firefights on the similar time. In distinction, Separate Methods permits you to fairly comfortably clear lots of its situations with out firing a bullet, as an alternative counting on Ada’s knife to do the soiled work. And when she does go loud, new weapons just like the Blast Crossbow and a sawed-off shotgun diversify your loadout past the pistols, rifles, and sub-machine weapons of the bottom marketing campaign.

There’s even a brand new puzzle-solving mechanic known as the Interactive Retinal Inquiry System. Letting Ada scan footprints and keypads, she’s in a position to observe characters or work out what numbers should be pressed to unlock a door. With its personal little HUD to accompany monitoring, it is an additional layer to Separate Ways in which leans into Ada’s spy-like tendencies.

All of it makes for a narrative that ties neatly into the general plot of Resident Evil 4, whereas feeling distinct sufficient to make Ada very a lot her personal character. Cutscenes reveal how Ada impacts a number of the occasions in Leon’s marketing campaign, however then Separate Methods goes above and past with neat, context-sensitive touches. For instance, it is revealed Ada is the one who rings the church bell at first of the sport to rescue Leon from the Ganados horde attacking him within the village. Nonetheless, for those who discover the church space a bit as Ada, you will hear Ashley crying inside as she waits for the blonde-haired heart-throb to rescue her.

Small particulars like this actually elevate the expertise, particularly for followers. In actual fact, the growth brings again a handful of scenes from the 2005 unique that did not make it into the total remake. It was a nice shock to study these fan-favourite sequences hadn’t completely fallen by the wayside even when they did not seem of their unique context.

One other spotlight is the boss battles. Ramón Salazar’s right-hand man monster, the Black Gown, will get its due throughout a number of encounters that discover a extra supernatural facet of Resident Evil 4 — maybe a nod to a route Capcom thought of for the 2005 unique throughout improvement. In the meantime, fights with El Gigante and Osmund Saddler play very otherwise to their base sport counterparts, making every brawl a pleasure once more.

The one subject Separate Methods runs into is a way of disjointedness, which comes from the very fact it has to plug within the gaps of a separate marketing campaign. Notably when Leon is concerned in a cutscene, the DLC will instantly fade to black and a time skip will happen. You may regain management in a unique space with a unique goal, missing a proof of what acquired Ada to that time following the cutscene. It feels a bit awkward within the second, as if Separate Methods is a sequence of standalone situations stitched collectively somewhat than one cohesive narrative.

That mentioned, it does at the least handle to supply a formidable quantity of content material. Your first playthrough will take as much as six hours to complete, after which you possibly can go for higher ranks and unlock particular weapons in New Sport+. To place that into context: a chunk of DLC for Resident Evil 4 is identical size because the entirety of Resident Evil 3. That assertion might be extra damning for Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 follow-up than anything, however to get the identical quantity of playtime out of an growth remains to be spectacular.

Conclusion

Separate Methods is about pretty much as good a DLC of this dimension can get, filling in narrative gaps and expertly tweaking a elegant gameplay loop. Enjoying as Ada Wong feels totally different sufficient due to new devices and weapons, whereas expanded areas present contemporary surroundings for a second go to. A way of disjointedness frays the perimeters, however Resident Evil 4 feels complete with Separate Methods by its facet. A worthy growth for certainly one of 2023’s biggest titles.