Resident Evil 4 Separate Ways Is an Improvement

I remember sitting in my room as a pre-teen, running through Resident Evil 4 for a friend once the game released on PlayStation 2. They mostly just wanted access to the cosmetics, and neither of us were entirely aware an entirely new scenario had been bundled with the game. I had already beaten Assignment Ada, the GameCube release’s small slice of side-content. So naturally the both of us assumed that it would be more of the same. But we were both very, very wrong, and got our first taste of Resident Evil 4‘s Separate Ways. It proved to be a more fleshed out scenario that filled in some gaps as to what Ada had been up to during the events of the game. The version of this side scenario that appears in the Resident Evil 4 remake functions in a very similar way.

In Separate Ways, you assume the role of Ada Wong, the Resident Evil series’ super spy who is always dressed in some shade of red. Her scenario comprises of more or less coming to Leon’s rescue in some fairly significant or other times subtle ways. However, her role is a lot clearer this time around, and she’s joined by a small cast of characters. This includes Luis Sera, who is a stand-out not only in the main game but also this side scenario, and Albert Wesker. While neither are playable, they are integral parts to Resident Evil 4 remake’s Separate Ways campaign. Luis steals the show as his background as an Umbrella Corporation scientist is further extrapolated on, and his performance remains stand-out. His voice actor has an incredible charisma that works well with his mo-cap, making him fun to have around and it utterly gut wrenching when he meets his inevitable end.

Seeing Wesker as well helps fill in some gaps as to what he was up to during the events of Resident Evil 4, though his goal is clear and Ada’s role in that as well. He’s there to retrieve the Las Plagas sample that will eventually create Uroboros — the virus in Resident Evil 5. These new cutscenes, though a lot more overt in their nature to really set up the events of any future remakes, make playing this new version of Separate Ways totally worth it. Especially if you’re in it for the lore.

However, playing Ada in the campaign was especially rewarding. Her load-out is relatively the same, with the player able to unlock better guns as you progress. She starts with a TMP and pistol, and you can eventually get a shotgun and other arms to get you through the worst of it. But Ada feels cool to play. You use her grappling hook to launch yourself in the air and kick enemies in the face, drawing yourself to them to grind your heel against their jaws. Or you propel yourself into the air to scale building and avoid attacks, with each movement dynamic, fast, and exciting. Ada was already pretty neat in the original game, but she’s exceptional now. However, much like the base game the performance from her voice actress remains extremely hit-or-miss. The direction at times seems confused, even if her dialogue feels very much in-character, with the delivery rarely landing.

The score is fantastic, as it remixes several songs from Resident Evil 4 incredibly effectively. Since Separate Ways has a relatively low price point I assumed it would be fairly short or even just re-use music from the base game. But Capcom’s sound team went and made original mixes for this scenario, which adds to the experience and makes Separate Ways entirely new. That can also be said for the boss fights.

U3 appears in Separate Ways, missing from the base game, but is a new spin on the previous boss fight. You no longer have to navigate through suspended shipping containers in what was arguably one of the most tense segments of the original game, but instead just fight the mutated henchman in an arena. It’s not the best fight by far, but it’s nice to see it show up as a nod to the original. I personally would have liked to see the atmosphere of the original fight preserved, along with how grotesque that design was, but the new fight suits the new design of the Resident Evil 4 remake well. That said, a few fights did get cut, which means fans of the original may be disappointed. At least until they see that final credit scene roll.

Overall, Separate Ways is totally worth diving into if you enjoyed Resident Evil 4 remake, and doubly so if you’re a big fan of the original and Ada Wong. It’s only a handful of hours, which means you can blast through it, but it’s a fantastic reimagining of an already stellar side scenario.

The Resident Evil 4 remake, and Separate Ways DLC, is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.