Separate Ways

"The mission requires secrecy. Failure is not an option."
— Official Tagline

Separate Ways is a DLC for the Resident Evil 4 remake. It is first announced in PlayStation's State of Play on September 14, 2023, and released on September 21, 2023, alongside additional content update for the game's The Mercenaries minigame.^[1] This DLC was initially sold at $9.99 or £7.99 for owners of the base game,^[2] and also came with the later Gold Edition.

Synopsis[]

"
Before Leon S. Kennedy had even set foot in that cursed village, she was there. Her mission? The retrieval of the cult's darkest secret—the Amber.

Now she must deal with an unknown threat that is devouring her from within, an accomplice with a dark past and ulterior motives, and a chance reunion with the man she least expected—Leon S. Kennedy.

Why did she accept this mission?
And what path will she make for herself in the shadow of Leon's investigation into the abduction of the president's daughter?

"
— Official website description (English)

"
合衆国のエージェント、レオン・S・ケネディがたどり着く前に、その村に潜入した者がいた。

彼女に与えられたミッションは、謎めく琥珀“アンバー”の奪取。

しかし、待ち受けていたのは、自らの体を蝕んでいく未知の脅威、過去の罪を背負い、今をもがく男・ルイスとの駆け引き、そして、予期しなかったレオンとの再会―。

彼女は何故このミッションを受けたのか。大統領令嬢誘拐事件の裏で紡がれるもう一つのミッションを通して、彼女が選んだ”道”とは―

"
— Official website description (Japanese)

Plot[]

In 2004, Ada Wong was employed by Albert Wesker to retrieve a sample of The Amber and its research data after leaks of it broke out. She manages to reach out and form a deal with Dr. Luis Serra Navarro, one of the researchers for the Los Iluminados cult who had discovered the Amber's property and it's potential strength after being left in the Amber Storeroom for an extended period of time, and had brought it back for further testing upon coming across its peculiar shape. In exchange for the Amber sample and its research data, Ada was to extract him out of Valdelobos. However, before Luis can hold up the end of his deal, Luis and the other researchers are forcefully parasitized with Las Plagas. He manages to remove it before being fully taken under its control and flees back to the Valdelobos and hiding the Amber before being captured and thrown into the cell of Salazar Castle where he is set to be tortured and killed along with other prisoners.

As Luis is escorted outside the cell by Zealots, they are wiped out by an female attendant who is revealed to be Ada in disguise and the pair head towards to the location of the hidden Amber. Before they can escape the castle, the pair are confronted by Zealots and Ramón Salazar's bodyguard Pesanta with Luis hesitantly escaping with the use of pulley system and Ada confronts the being but not before Luis reminding her of their rendezvous location in Village Church. Pesanta launches its attacks with one of them scrape Ada in the shoulder and Ada subjected to its illusion afflictions and attacks. She survives the encounter and escape to the exterior of the castle where she updates Wesker of her situation and observed her escape route which is surrounded by heavily fortified areas. Her presence is noticed by the enemy which forced Ada to destroy the catapults before escaping the castle. Ada successfully destroy the catapults with the use of Salazar's own aresenal and escape but she is unknowingly stalked by the creature from before.

As Ada traverse to the church, she ponders about the Amber and the actions that will be done in its name as well as the consequences somebody had to paid but is content to ignore it until the Raccoon City Destruction Incident change her perspective. As she draws nearer to the center of Valdelobos, Wesker informs her that the Ganados are riled up due to the incident with Ashley Graham's kidnapping, Ada finds an vantage point and notices that Leon Scott Kennedy are ambushed by the Ganados in his search for Ashley. As she ventures to the church, Ada learns that the bell acts as the calling of their lord Osmund Saddler to congregate at the church and listen to his preaches. Attaining this information, Ada arrives at the church and rings its bell, drawing away hostiles from further attacking Leon but discovers that Luis is nowhere to be seen, unbeknownst to her that Luis is captured and trapped in the basement of his old home.

Waiting extensively at the area, Wesker informs Ada that they had lost Luis's signal in the vicinity of the forest which is near Bitores Méndez manor and heads toward the location in picking up clues to his current location. During her traversal, Ada is again confronted by Pesanta who struck her with its illusion attacks and endless apparitions though she survives the encounter again. As the fight finishes, Ada experiences migraine like symptoms and is confused on her physiology with the creature retreating elsewhere. Ada arrives at the manor where she spots Leon being strangled by Méndez and saves him by shooting the village chief and draws him away from the area.

As dawn falls, Ada sees Leon leaving the premise and infiltrate the manor on her search for Luis's location and discovers Méndez ordering the villagers not to slay outsiders recklessly and to capture them as well as traitors to the nearby factory basement where they will be receiving a right to fair judgement and be delivered justice without prejudice. As Ada exits, she is grabbed by Méndez and thrown across the floor and is chased to the factory by Méndez alongside villagers. Upon there, Ada activates her Interactive Retinal Inquiry System (I.R.I.S) lens to track down footprints leading to Luis's cell only to discover the assailant dead from the efforts of Leon and Luis. In the room, Ada tracks Luis's footprint to the cigar where he writes channel numbers to communicate with on the two-way radio. Ada reaches contact with Luis who tells her of the location of a cabin outside the Village. Before she can leave, Ada is swarmed by Villagers who is alerted to her location but mangaes to escape the area.

Outside the factory, Ada is afflicted with an illusion attack and collapses from fatigue before being surrounded by the surviving Villagers. Ada awakens inside Méndez's manor where she is treated by Wesker of her symptoms and is threatened by Wesker to complete her mission and not be seen as a liability. Ada heads back to the center where she discovers scrawled orders of releasing El Gigante and assembling Villagers to the Villa which is Luis's current location. As she crosses the bridge, she is shaken by the tremor of El Gigante which threatens the bridge's collapse and retreats back to the area where she combats the giant and kills it. Ada meets Luis and inquires about his progress in acquiring the "Amber" and reminds him that without it, he won't receive protection. Luis assures her that he will retrieve the "Amber" and mentions that he also needs to collect something else. The pair heads back to Salazar Castle.

In the castle, Luis informs Ada of another objective that he had to accomplish before retrieving the Amber which sets off Ada who threatens to shoot him but Luis manages to convince her of getting the medicine to slow down Plaga parasitization process of Leon and Ashley as well as Ada who he recognizes the effects of the parasite symptoms. Ada relents but reminds him that it is his last chance before accompanying him. The pair discovers that the lab is on fire with Luis rushing in to retrieve the suppressants despite Ada's attempt at stopping him. Ada chases after Luis and brings him to safety with Ada chastising him for putting himself into danger to which Luis despairs over the thought that he cannot save them, Ada suggests that Luis makes more of the suppressant which gives him hope as he remembers that all the ingredients are present at the castle and there are still time in retrieving the Amber. Luis prescribes the ingredients needed to make the serum which contains minerals in Red Ink, yeasts in Gold Bottle and substances in the scales of a Blue Butterfly which is available in different locations of the castle and hands the note to Ada before departing to acquire the Amber.

In her search, Ada encounters Leon who she notices of his lack of surprise at her supposed death six years ago and holds him at gunpoint. However, Leon manages to disarm her and gain the upper hand. Curious about the organization she now works for, Leon questions Ada, but she playfully evades his inquiries. After regaining their composure, Ada suggests that Leon abandon Ashley, whom she believes is doomed, in the hopes of another encounter with her. However, Leon firmly rejects the proposal. Running out of time, Ada proposes continuing their discussion at a later date and escapes through a window to continue her search. During the last stretch, Luis contacts Ada and rendezvous the location at the castle's top to deliver the ingredients in turn for the Amber as well as sending documents relating to the sample in which head researcher Anabel García Escudero discovers that the sample can hold influence over other parasites whilst in the state of suspend animation as well as possessing same organ as that of Dominant species Plaga though the team still have no method of awakening it and is forced to seal the sample after a deadly accident occurred.

On the castle's top, Ada contacts Wesker and informs him that she hasn't been able to retrieve the "Amber" yet but mentions that Leon is assisting her in the retrieval process. Her employer agrees to keep Leon on board for further assistance. After the call ends, Ada notices Verdugo carrying Ashley towards the throne room and quickly informs Leon. Ada provides the tip to Leon but before he can ask for more information, she abruptly ends the call. During her search, Ada learns from Isidro Uriarte Talavera's notes that the being had stalked and attacked her had also infected her with a piece of its self which manipulates her consciousness and bent her towards its will with the only way to end it is to kill the creature who Isidro names it as Pesanta as it is made up of specialized cells that cannot survive on its own. Acquiring the last ingredient, Ada meets up with Luis who carries a box with chemical equipments and hands over the Amber to Ada who unintentionally reacts strongly as the parasite within her is reacting to the sample which in turn further the progress of Plaga parasitization. Luis quickly prepares the suppressant and treats Ada with the serum which appears to be ineffective as this draws the attention of Pesanta much to Luis's confusion, Ada forces Luis to take the Amber and escape the area as she distracts the creature.

In a daze, Ada hides as the creature draws nearer to her presence but the suppressant works just in time, masking her from Pesanta's radar. The creature leaves and Ada uses I.R.I.S lens to track Luis down and discovers his note to which he explains that he went to mines to regroup with Leon after overhearing Ramón Salazar on the intercom and directs her to the Gregorio's Waterway as alternative entry and left behind red spray paints as guides. Ada surveys her way through the waterway and comes across nest infested and habited by Novistador but successfully makes her way to the mines where she is confronted by Pesanta once again though Ada now determines to kill the creature. Ada lures the creature over to a cliff and crushes it with the use of a dangling gantry which triggers the creature's mutation. Ada fights the creature and successfully incapacitates it but its tail detaches from the main body and flings Ada further below the mines, forcing to battle for the last time. She emerges victorious and coughs out the parasite within as the result of its main body destroyed and crushes it.

Ada resumes her search for Luis who she reaches contact only to find him severely injured as the result of Jack Krauser stabbed him from the back with Luis informing her that Krauser now has the Amber. Before Luis cuts contact, he expresses his gratitude at her for a chance to make amends. Ada arrives at the scene to a dying Luis and Krauser making his getaway and departs, prioritizing the mission first. Along the way, Ada comes across Ashley who is escorted to Salazar and Krauser running by the roof of the clock tower and informs Leon of Ashley's current location before resuming her objective. Ada arrives at the scene only to see that Krauser carries Ashley away and Leon fighting Salazar. On the lift down, Ada is contacted by Wesker who she gives update of the situation much to his frustration as she continues to pursue Krauser only to miss him at the last moment. Ada acquires the boat key with Leon following soon after and the pair make their way to the island.

During the boat ride, Leon opens up to Ada about how he and the world have changed since the destruction of Raccoon City. He reflects on the difficult choices he has had to make, where saving one life often comes at the cost of many others. Leon questions whether Ada has also changed or if she continues to use him for her own agenda, as she did six years ago. However, Ada remains silent and leaves Leon to pilot the boat to the docking point but not before placing a tracking chip on him. Elsewhere, Krauser delivers Ashley and the Amber to the Saddler with the scene witnessed by Ada through a scope, Wesker arrives and informs Ada of another change in their plans to which she agrees to do and is handed over a briefcase which is an override device to be connected with the main terminal in comms facility. Ada arrives at the scene where Leon is able to administered Ashley the suppressant and informs her of Luis's passing with Leon calling Ada shortly afterwards to ask the location of Luis's laboratory, and she informs them that important facilities are usually situated at the summit. On her journey, Ada is confronted by Regenerador as well as its variant Iron Maiden while heading towards the comms facility and discovers note left by Krauser on the installation of highly sensitive antenna array which can accurately intercepted and monitored activities of organizations and intelligence services and was used to gather intel and plan on the day of Ashley's kidnapping.

In the comms facility, Ada learns of a test subject with the name Martinico who is born a fragile and uncontrollable creature but after countless experiments with the Amber, the creature gains resilience and regenerative abilities which allows it to be unharmed by conventional weapons but it still retains low mental capacity and can only be killed by powerful lasers. Sometime after, the creature breaks free and slaughters the remaining scientists in the building and roams the facility, it encounters Ada who is relentlessly chased throughout the complex. On her way, Ada discovers in a note left behind by Anabel that Krauser becomes a willing test subject in letting the Amber experimented on him resulting in the discovery that the sample can invigorate the dominant species of Plaga and its growth easily surpassed than those of Subordinate species Plaga. During the last stretch, Ada traverse the laser corridor and dodge its beams and makes it to the terminal and connects the override device. Wesker initiates the countdown for the island's destruction which include Leon and Ashley as its casualties much to her conflicted mind, Ada plugs the USB stick to delay and minimizes the explosion impact and escape the area. Martinico burst in soon afterwards but Ada lures and kills the creature with the use of corridor lasers. Hearing Ashley's distress call from the implanted tracking chip, Ada makes her way back to the main island's dock with a jet ski.

Ada goes after Leon and Saddler to the cave sanctuary where she assists Leon and Ashley of their escape and battles Saddler to which she incapacitates and retrieve the Amber from him, Ada announces to Wesker of her acquisition of the sample with the latter sending a chopper for her evacuation. In her distraction, Ada is knocked out by the tentacle forming from Saddler's body and is used as bait to draw Leon in. Sensing danger, Leon leaves Ashley behind and rushes to free Ada from her restraints. However, he is soon surrounded by swarms of Novistadors, and Saddler himself appears, attempting to strangle Leon. Ada comes to his rescue, allowing them to confront the mutated Saddler. The attack left them divided as Leon confronts Saddler while Ada retrieves a rocket launcher with a red warhead which is used for easy penetration of heavily armored targets and ordered by Krauser from Newman Arms Corp. Ada makes it back to an distraught Ashely who asks her to help Leon. Leon holds on long enough for Ada to toss him the weapon, which he uses to weaken the creature. Taking advantage of the opening, Leon impales Saddler with his own staff, finally vanquishing the mutated monster.

Leon tries to retrieve the Amber, but Ada grabs it and reveals that she made a deal with Luis and offers Leon a ride on the helicopter, but he declines, knowing that this is where they part ways. Ada departs as the island's facilities explode and hands Leon over the keys to her jet ski. On the helicopter, Ada contacts Wesker, demanding to know his intentions with the sample. Wesker reveals his plan to accelerate change, sacrificing a hundred lives for the benefit of one and potentially causing casualties in the billions. Unwilling to comply with the insanity of his ambitions, Ada holds the pilot at gunpoint and orders a change in their course. Looking outside, she sees Leon and Ashley making their way back home. As the chopper departs, Wesker is revealed to have been situated on a ship nearby and has collected Krauser's corpse for Dominant Plaga extraction with the detonations on the island failed to set off simultaneously with the estimated destruction of the island just below 50% and most of it remains intact, Wesker allows Ada to escape freely as he considers her actions failed to change the course of his plans for a new age of man.

Gameplay[]

Enviroment[]

The first environment explored in the game is Salazar Castle which is present in the first, fourth and fifth chapter of the DLC with Ada advancing to other locations later on in her pursuit of the Amber. In addition, there are other unexplored areas such as Gregorio Waterway and Comms Facility which is off limits in the main campaign of the game and the inclusion of a new enemy Martinico. Another mechanic that is added to the DLC is the use of Interactive Retinal Inquiry System (I.R.I.S) lens which Ada can used to track down clues that is hard to spot with the naked eye in order to progress the story.

Combat[]

Beside the similarity actions available to the main game, one of the core additional gameplay to this mode is the use of Ada's grappling hook gun which can be used to traverse to various locations as well as eliminating enemies from a distance and launch a ranged melee attack.