Perhaps it was predictable considering the very high level of quality achieved by Capcom in recent years, but new version of Resident Evil 4 It turned out to be a real bomb, even capable of exceeding the very high expectations of fans of the original work, improving it in almost every aspect. Recovering the magic of a similar game is certainly not an easy task and the team leading the project achieved it with a combination of great experience and excellent game design, applied with such astuteness that we do not regret the few content cuts made. the classic campaign (mostly replaced by neat additions anyway).
Only one defect made people laugh: that separate ways which was not present in the Gamecube edition of Resident Evil 4, but represented an important piece of the puzzle in all subsequent ones, since it allowed the player to take on the fascinating role of ada wong. The original DLC did not last long and was far from being a narrative masterpiece, but its ability to fit perfectly into the plot, combined with the charisma of the protagonist, allowed it to become without too much effort a small cult, now impossible. to separate themselves from León's adventures.
Now, it was more than obvious that its "remake" version would arrive: in the basic campaign of the remake there were several events centered on Ada that were not adequately explored and many fans had already theorized that the few missing elements would be represented precisely there. However, taking into account the many changes (for the better) in the story and the structural changes, it was difficult to understand whether the current Capcom would be able to offer players something as iconic as its predecessor and how far it would go.
The answer? Like the remake, the new Separe Ways represents an exceptional recovery of the original content, which shows once again the incredible strength of the "new direction" of the saga. Today, obviously, we will try to explain why, in this convenient way Resident Evil 4: Parting Ways Review.
Narrative and structure: I'm putting you down
The concept of the current Separe Ways remains identical: the DLC is in all respects one mini campaign dedicated to Ada Wong that takes place in parallel to that of León and shows in detail everything that Capcom's most famous femme fatale did during the raids of her American "flame." While the original, however, lasted little more than a couple of hours and focused very little on the story (except for a few significant scenes), the work done here is no different from that of the basic remake, so it shows immediately. a much greater focus on plot and characters. Ultimately, you'll see a lot more interlude scenes and dialogue in this version of Separe Ways, but don't worry: they don't break the rhythm in any way and are once again masterfully inserted into the whole, as well as significantly improved. The classic narrative.
Additionally, if you were saddened by the removal of some of the wholesome evil from Mikami's version of the game, you'll be happy to know that Ada's story once again embraces the series' more excessive tendencies. Obviously we don't want to spoil how, just know that everything that disappeared here returns with the same energy, although in general much better contextualized.
However, the parallel nature of Separe Ways' story creates a problem: it inevitably forces Ada to retrace her steps. areas already seen and explored in detail with León, which cannot be renewed much. Therefore, to avoid excessive repetition, the developers have focused on two elements: the design of the fights and the grappling hook. The first, furthermore, is one of the factors that still makes the original game fantastic today and has allowed Capcom to elevate it even further with its remake; The gameplay is still very solid, and the aggressive and flexible artificial intelligence of the enemies guarantees, even by just repositioning them or shuffling some cards on the table, to transform seemingly identical confrontations into completely different challenges, always fresh too. due to the plurality of approaches.
It is the addition of hookHowever, the real star of the DLC: this curious gadget allows Ada to obtain elevated areas which Leon could only observe from a distance, and allowed the team's designers to add some verticality to the maps, as well as navigation options that were simply unusable for good old Kennedy. We assure you that this file, combined with the reworking of the battles, is more than enough to make the shootouts in the DLC more intense than ever. Additionally, Capcom has calibrated the difficulty upwards, clearly calculating Separe Ways as content to tackle if the first campaign has already been completed; a smart choice that increases the tension, although perhaps the team has exaggerated a little with the life points of certain bosses (some require consuming a real arsenal of bullets before falling, especially in the initial phases where Ada does not follow correctly ). motorized).
Gameplay: agile as a cat
While we talk about boss, nor are they a simple recycling of what has already been seen: in addition to a couple of "elites" that must be eliminated in known situations, the enemies have been rethought or through the intelligent use of new maps, such as an interesting confrontation between the rooftops that exploit the aforementioned grappling hook, or through new and unexpected attack patterns. In general, this version of the DLC is much more pleasant to play than the original and has a variety that we did not expect, especially considering its very low cost (only 10 euros). Even in terms of content, Capcom has exceeded expectations, as Ada's adventure takes between 4 and 6 hours to finish (thus lasting more than twice as long as the last one), is highly replayable on higher difficulties, and even has Quite unique exclusive weapons and items.
The grappling hook we've talked about so far, to give the most obvious example, also allows the protagonist to complete ranged melee executions, immediately running towards the affected enemies; This simple possibility significantly changes positioning management and further enriches the range of applicable strategies. The presence of the inevitable merchant (as well as his upgrades) and tools like the crossbow with explosive bolts are just the icing on the cake.
the only criticizes? Perhaps something more could have been done with Ada's "contact lenses." In fact, during the campaign it is possible to use a kind of scanning to see the interactive areas to grapple with and the steps to follow during specific phases, but very little else has been done to use the hypertechnological devices with which it is equipped the protagonist. However, we remain completely satisfied with what has been achieved; The fact that there were still a few drops of potential left to extract from the formula certainly doesn't ruin one of the best bonus content we've played.
Considering Capcom's current level, it's certainly not a surprise, but Separe Ways is the perfect missing piece in Resident Evil 4: an addition that surpasses its original version in every way, fits perfectly into the remake's narrative and even manages to completely eliminate the repetitiveness inherent in the reuse of many of the same maps, thanks to the new grappling hook and brilliant management usual of confrontations. A must-buy at a negligible cost, making the already exceptional base game an even more incredible complete package. We can only congratulate a team that now rarely makes mistakes.
Conclusions
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Readers (29)
8.3
your vote
PRO
- It improves on the original in every way and fits perfectly into the new narrative.
- The usual great battle design, combined with the grappling hook, keeps even previously seen maps fresh.
- Really low cost, for great content.
AGAINST
- Perhaps a little more could have been done with the protagonist's gadgets.
