Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways DLC Review — Ada-mn Good Time

It’s no secret that I think Resident Evil’s main game and DLC releases in the past few years have slapped. From last year’s Winters’ Expansion to Resident Evil 7’s Banned Footage, Capcom knows how to expand on its golden era of video game releases. Many DLC from Resident Evil’s wheelhouse allow players to revisit previous locations from the perspective of a different character. While most don’t expand on the story massively, they do offer new gameplay mechanics (and fans, including myself, will take whatever shred of extra lore they can get their hands on).

Back in March, I reviewed Resident Evil 4, giving it a 10/10. It was my first foray into the Resident Evil 4 narrative, having never played the original or the subsequent remasters. Capcom set a new benchmark with RE4, which refined all of the modern gameplay of this era of Resident Evil while respecting the qualities fans loved about the OG game. Resident Evil 4 has become my favourite Resident Evil game and one of my favourite games of all time. So when Separate Ways was announced just days before release, I could hardly contain my excitement to dive back into this captivating narrative once more.

Resident Evil’s most notable spy, Ada Wong, has infiltrated The Village just moments before Leon S. Kennedy’s iconic arrival at the Los Illuminados’s home. Ada is taking orders from the Albert Wesker, who has hired Ada to obtain The Amber, an object of ill omen.

Separate Ways’ story runs simultaneously with the events of the main game. In Resident Evil 4, Ada saves Leon several times, and in Separate Ways, we get to experience just how these pivotal moments take place. Ada’s point of view during the events of RE4 is different enough for the enjoyment not to be diminished in any way. The story takes new heights (literally), and towards the end of Separate Ways, offers an expansion to the Resident Evil universe ever so slightly. But I’ll take what I can get. 

The core gameplay of Resident Evil 4 returns with the addition of Ada’s grapple to assist her in combat as well as traversing to new areas that Leon was not able to get to during his mission to save Ashley. The first few chapters lean into more familiar locations with several changes to the landscape depending on whether or not Leon has passed through the area. Towards the end of the Separate Ways DLC, new locations are more prominent and there’s even some content that hardcore Resident Evil fans will LOVE. Capcom has allowed these locations, both new and old, to flourish with new enemy encounters and some fantastic boss fights.

So is Separate Ways essential to the Resident Evil 4 experience? Not really, but if you were captivated by the base game like I was, then I would highly recommend purchasing this DLC. Downloadable content is a sensitive topic, with many players voicing their concerns stating that some DLC releases contain content that should have been in the original release. Capcom aren’t guilty of this, however. Separate Ways expands upon the story in an organic way and provides a brand new experience that never has a dull moment.