Resident Evil 4 - Separate Ways

She's sly, cunning, and always gets the job done - Ada Wong is back in action in the thrilling DLC, Resident Evil 4 - Separate Ways. This expansion puts players in the shoes of the femme fatale spy as she unravels the mysteries behind the Los Illuminados cult and the mutant Las Plagas parasites. With new gadgets, abilities, and areas to explore, Separate Ways delivers pulse-pounding stealth-action that enriches the remake experience.

The Shadowy Mission to Retrieve the Parasite Sample

The DLC takes place concurrently with Leon S. Kennedy's mission to rescue the president's daughter in the main game. While Leon battles hordes of crazed Ganados villagers, Ada is on a covert operation to secure a Las Plagas sample for her anonymous employer. This parallel storyline expands on Ada's background and motivations, peeling back the layers on her complex character. The new cutscenes and dialogues reveal surprising connections between Ada and other Resident Evil stalwarts like Albert Wesker.

Playing as the superspy feels distinctly different thanks to her specialized skillset. Ada can hang off ledges, quick-slide into tight spaces, and use her grapple gun for unique environmental traversal. This opens up new routes and gameplay opportunities suited for stealth and subterfuge. The revamped aiming mode also facilitates precise headshots to conserved ammo. Ada's varied techniques encourage players to eschew wanton violence in favor of subtle infiltration.

The Thrills (and Spills) of Covert Ops

Ada's missions feature notable villains and monstrosities absent from Leon's adventure. One remarkable boss battle pits Ada against the hulking dual Chainsaw Ganados U-3. This tense fight demands expert timing as Ada uses her grapple gun to yank out the power packs on the behemoth's back while avoiding its rampaging attacks. Another memorable encounter is against Krauser- a rogue US agent with mysterious motives. Their knife fight atop platforms suspended over a waterfall is an adrenaline-filled highlight.

These white-knuckle struggles combined with the new environments exclusive to Separate Ways make it feel quite distinct from the base campaign. Areas like the Splendid and Water Tower require circumspect navigation full of traps and lookout points. The expanded storyline also culminates in a surprise plot twist that sets up intrigue for subsequent series games.

Polish and Performance Problems

On the graphical front, Separate Ways features excellent lighting effects, detailed textures, and slick animations that match the stellar remake visuals. The expanded arsenal with unlockable handguns and machine guns also adds variety to the combat. However, some technical hiccups like long load times, frame rate hitches during hectic encounters can disrupt the tension. Occasionally iffy enemy AI and collision detection also belie the otherwise splendid presentation.

Review: 7/10

With white-knuckle boss battles, clever environmental puzzles, and new backstory revelations, Separate Ways is a must-play expansion for RE4 fans. It evolves Ada Wong into a uniquely skilled and wily superspy who can hold her own even when surrounded by parasite-infused maniacs.

Pros:

• Thrilling boss battles
• New abilities and gameplay mechanics
• Expands Ada's backstory

Cons:

• Occasional technical hiccups
• Uneven enemy AI
• Short length
• Bad Voice Acting