Review: Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways DLC

destructoid.com:

The Resident Evil 4 remake is my Game of the Year so far; no question about it. Even then, I was worried that the Separate Ways DLC wouldn’t quite deliver.

Well, it did! And then some.

Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways DLC (PC, PS4, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox Series X/S)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Released: September 21, 2023
MSRP: $9.99

If you’ve never played Separate Ways before (it was a side/unlockable mode in the original release and not a paid DLC), it’s a gaiden of sorts that deals with what Ada Wong was up to behind the scenes while Leon was out hamming it up and kicking ass. You’ll occasionally meet-cute with Leon during the narrative, and deal with old/new enemy types, as well as run through old/new locations.

I was extremely skeptical of how Capcom would approach this concept with the remake, especially in the form of a DLC. What we ended up getting not only serves as a fantastic compliment to Resident Evil 4‘s reimagined world: but it’s also a reminder of just how incredible the action-shooter foundation of the remake really is.

The first thing that I noticed was how quickly I acclimated to getting back in the saddle. Ada mostly controls the same as Leon (and will utilize a lot of the same weaponry/accessories), with one notable exception: Ada has a handy grappling hook. While the environmental grappling points are rather sparing and fixed, the way Ada uses her grappling hook both in combat and during cutscenes really helps differentiate the DLC from the core game.

With her added maneuverability, it’s a blast to discern whether or not a fight is “worth it,” especially when a grappling icon is pinging you nearby. It also adds some really tense moments where you’re like “I’m bailing on this sh*tshow completely,”