PLATFORM: PC, PS4/5, XBOX SERIES (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Originally released in 2005 as a bonus addition to the PS2 version of Resident Evil 4, Separate Ways follows secret agent / spy / lone wolf Ada Wong’s quest to retrieve a sample of a chaos-causing parasite. Her mission takes place at the same time as Leon Kennedy’s efforts to rescue the President’s daughter in the main game, and the two characters cross over at various points although – until Separate Ways – we never really got to find out what Ada was actually up to. This extra story was omitted from 2023’s Resident Evil 4 remake, but has now been made available as (very worthwhile) paid DLC.
The seven chapters that you’ll go through in Ada’s shoes are fairly short – around four hours in total – but they’re packed full of action and the brief runtime means that there’s rarely a dull moment. Ada’s grapple gun allows you to zip across buildings (albeit only in very specific places), rip shields from enemies’ hands and, with the right upgrade, pull yourself across the screen to perform a melee attack, making her feel much faster and more fluid to control than her main game counterpart. Much like in the RE4 remake, you’ll visit many familiar locations in Separate Ways, but everything’s slightly different to how it used to be – even within the story itself – with new twists and turns waiting to be discovered around every turn.
All of the usual Resi trappings are present and correct, with puzzles to solve, nightmarish creatures to deal with, exhilarating boss fights and, of course, cosy chats with the friendly merchant who is also able to upgrade your weapons and trade gemstones for useful items. There are also some new unlockables which will please long-time fans of the series. 2023 RE4 is easily one of the best remakes seen so far, and Separate Ways is a superb accompaniment that’s really very difficult to find fault with. It might be relatively short, but with an asking price of less than a tenner it’s pretty much a must-buy.
