Since 2005, I have continuously heard how Resident Evil 4 is the best game in the Resident Evil franchise and potentially one of the best video games ever created. With such high praise, there is curiosity about what makes the game so excellent and does it actually live up to expectations. In 2012, I attempted to give Resident Evil 4 a chance after enjoying Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City. Upon playing through the first chapter, I couldn’t fathom what the hype was all about. Yes, the story seemed interesting but the movement in the game felt sluggish and tedious. Now fifteen-plus years later with the release of the Resident Evil 4 and Separate Ways Remake, I have decided to give the beloved story a second chance.
Yes, you read that right, this was a first-ever playthrough of both Resident Evil 4 and Separate Ways DLC for this review; this actually made the experience more suspenseful, exciting, and at times horrifying. Not knowing what type of enemy might be lurking around the corner or what a boss might do kept me on my toes. Both Resident Evil 4 & Separate Ways Remake had all the right action point marks, which gives the player just enough time to breathe but still be on the edge of their seats but not enough time to get relaxed.
Yes, there are moments when the main characters can be annoying; but, you have to rationalize how the developers had to keep the player focused originally and how the remake sticks to the original concept while updating it. Throughout the twenty-hour playthrough of the two modes on standard, the only times I got bored was when combat stopped and I was lost. Finding my way was more of a challenge than combat.
RE4 Story
Resident Evil 4 has players step into the shoes of Leon Kennedy who has been sent on a mission to find and bring back the president’s daughter. Upon entering a nearby village, Leon discovers that most of the villagers are possessed and violent. Despite being controlled by an unknown entity, most of the citizens are fairly unaware of their surrounding area; this makes it easy for Leon to take out those who are afflicted. Throughout the game, there are a variety of monsters and bosses that Leon will have to face in order to rescue Ashley. Each time that it feels like Leon is getting closer, something happens to cause a setback.
In RE4, there are multiple story’ plots going on for the different characters that cause an overlap for the different characters. While Leon is attempting to save Ahsley, Luis is trying to recover “The Amber” and save the two. Though in the base game, Ada is more of a supporting character getting Luis and Leon out of trouble, Ada has more of a prominent role in the Separate Ways DLC.
Separate Ways
The Separate Ways DLC gives players more of an insight into the events within Resident Evil 4. The DLC has players step into the shoes of Ada Wong a mercenary for higher. Sent to recover “The Amber” from Luis, Ada is reunited with an old acquaintance from Racoon City. Everything that is unexplained in the base game gets an explanation. Who rings the bell to call the enemies away, (Ada). Why is Ada on the Island in the first place and why did Wesker hire her? Most of these questions were answered though some remain.
The Separate Ways story is definitely shorter than the base game partially due to Ada’s ability to use a grappling hook to travel throughout quickly. Most of the advanced enemies and some of the mini-bosses make an appearance within the story but Leon’s still remains the primary focus. The end of the Separate Ways story flows directly into the end of Resident Evil 4. The end cutscene does give us a bit more insight into what Wesker is planning.
Gameplay
Resident Evil 4 and Separate Ways Remake use the same Resident Evil engine that the Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 Remakes used. This allows players to enjoy the over-the-top shoulder shooter aspects that they had grown accustomed to. After researching the original Resident Evil 4, The Resident Evil 4 Remake has replaced and added a ton of helpful features to make players’ lives easier.
Changes to Ashley
In the prior game, Ashley was a bit of an obstacle that you would have to play around in order to survive. The Follow, Wait, and Hide commands have been replaced with Stick close or Follow loosely; these two will have Ashley stick with you to run away or stay back to avoid combat. Occasionally, there are moments where you can tell her to hide. Ashley’s point health bar has been replaced by a generic health bar; whenever Ashley takes too much damage and goes down, it is up to the player to revive her or face a game over. Players can clear the area of enemies to have Ashley self resurrect. Ashley is more of a companion now than she was in the past; instead of being a nuisance all around, she is now able to act for herself and avoid problematic situations.
Combat
Combat within Resident Evil 4 and Separate Ways has taken more of a modern approach with players being able to shoot on the move. The game offers a variety of weapons for the player to use in order to take down foes. For fans of stealth games, the player can use a knife and the bolt thrower to take down enemies stealthily. The knife does have limited durability but can be repaired at the Merchant. New to RE4 is the ability to deflect attacks with the knife; this ability helps the player even fight off the attacks of the chainsaw maniacs. The player can use the knife to eliminate the Ganados before the Plaga can explode from the top of the body.
Resident Evil 4 Remake has done an excellent job at reworking a variety of the gameplay elements from the original game. Combat moves smoothly with the game focusing more on run and gun combat. This change has made it so that enemies react quicker closing the gap. In Separate Ways, Ada’s ability to use her grappling hook to launch herself toward enemies for melee attacks can potentially put her in danger. The grappling hook also helps Ada move throughout the level to avoid enemies; this tool is more helpful when fighting the giant in the village.
Graphics
Like previous iterations, Capcom has done a great job at remastering Resident Evil 4 and its Separate Ways DLC. The game’s art style has shifted more towards a horror style with more jump scares and creepier character models. Since playing the game after launch, there were minimal graphical issues. The only time some graphical issues were noticed was when the game was left to idle for too long and then attempted to play again.
Most enemies have a distinct look outside of the villagers. Thankfully, the villagers don’t feel like they are copy-pasted despite being the most prevalent enemies. Each boss is grotesque and can send chills throughout your body. Each level is masterfully designed with both the base game and the DLC using the same environment. On top of beautiful character designs the optional clothing changes look great in the cutscenes and can make Leon look like the bad guy rather than the hero.
In settings, players can choose if they want to prioritize frame rate or resolution. With raytracing on, it creates a more realistic experience utilizing lighting. Players can also adjust if there is a reticle on the screen and what color they want it to be when using a regular or thermal sight. The game also features preset settings to help those with auditory, visual, or motion sickness issues.
Controls
Resident Evil 4 Remake reuses the controls from the previous Resident Evil games to create a uniform experience. I do wish that the counter indicator was more prevalent than a small flash at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. The auto-sort feature in the weapon case often was more problematic than helpful with the game sorting items weirdly. This meant taking the time to move around items exactly in order to fit something new into the inventory.
The game features a ton of controller layouts including the original from Resident Evil 4 2005. Players can adjust if they want to hold or toggle the ability to run or crouch. They can additionally change what button they want to use in order to quickly turn or parry. Players can also choose to utilize aim assist or automatic reload when empty. All of these features make it easier for the player to enjoy.
Audio/SFX
With Audio, the player can adjust the sound levels of the master, voice, BGM, sound effects, Menu, and Ballistic Impact volume. The audio channel can be changed between TV, Headphones, or a Home Theatre system. The game allows for sound orientation and reverberation; these audio effects can distort where the sound is coming from making a realistic experience. The game features nine audio languages and fourteen written ones displayed as subtitles; the player can adjust the subtitle size and color while adding in a speaker’s name and other noises in the background.
Despite the Resident Evil 4 Remake recasting Ada Wong and Albert Wesker, the character whose voice I had the biggest problem with was Leon. Something about Leon’s voice and lines within the remake seemed to be whiny. While many complained about Ashley’s voice it felt fitting with how scared the character is supposed to feel the sheer level of desperation she feels in the face of everything that is going on.
The combat sounds and ricochet noises create a realistic experience. Throughout the game, the developers have done a great job of creating a horror-filled atmosphere.
Replay Value
Like any other game, the replay value of Resident Evil 4 and Separate Ways Remakes comes down to whether or not you enjoyed the game in the first place. Resident Evil 4 does give the player a variety of side quests and collectibles to find while playing the game. The scoring system does drive the players to do better each time offering different rewards for doing better. If you want to challenge yourself go for it, but the game does not offer different paths or puzzles depending on which way you go, it is the same outcome.
Verdict
Overall, Capcom has done a great job of bringing back what people love from the original game while improving and updating the mechanics. The story is still arguably one of the best within the Resident Evil franchises and the story showcased in Separate Ways fills in the gaps of the base game. With updated gameplay elements and mechanics, Capcom has done an excellent job of perfecting combat in a way that is easily accessible to everyone; the game’s customizable settings and ability to change difficulties make it so that almost any game can enjoy Resident Evil 4. Whether the game and its DLC are full-price or on sale, it is easily one game that we can highly recommend.
If you were on the fence about picking it up, both the Halloween and Black Friday sales are just around the corner. At the moment, you can pick up Resident Evil Remake and Separate Ways for $50. On Black Friday, it will probably be even cheaper so definitely keep an eye out if it has been on your wishlist. I am glad that I got the chance to finally play through Resident Evil 4‘s DLC.
A review copy of Resident Evil 4 and Separate Ways was provided to play on the Xbox Series X.
