Fans of Resident Evil 4 appear to be split on a recent DLC that was covertly inserted into the game this week.
Although it was anticipated because Capcom had previously stated the mode’s release date, the game now has the Mercenaries mode, which is available for download for free.
But in addition to that new mode, there was another DLC available that let players immediately improve one of their weapons to get its unique power up without also upgrading the weapon’s other attributes.
Although it seems like a good concept in theory, some players have expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the DLC is a paid one that bypasses the game’s vast upgrading system and economy.
The aforementioned DLC is appropriately titled “Resident Evil 4 Weapon Exclusive Upgrade Ticket,” and is available as an add-on for the game on the PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam markets.
The price of one ticket is $2.99, and several packages are also available to give gamers two at once.
The only distinction between this item and the one you would obtain from the Merchant in-game by exchanging Spinels with him is that you are paying actual money to get them.
One preview for the new DLC reads: “To gun enthusiasts, knife collectors, and weapon fans of any and all kinds: here is your ticket to the gun show! Specifically a ticket to get redeemed at the Merchant’s shop. With this, you will have access to a weapon’s exclusive upgrade at any time, no matter the weapon’s level. Not only that, but once it’s unlocked, the upgrade itself is free of charge!”
Gamers often take one of two positions when discussing this DLC: either they think this is a bad way to play the game or they think it doesn’t matter because the game is single player to begin with, in which case the DLC has no bearing on anybody else’s experience anyway.
Players who purchase it are “robbing yourselves off several hours of fun,” according to one review of the product on Steam, by bypassing past the game’s economics.
On the other hand, there are also people who claim that since the game offers you enough resources to go through the plot, it’s not geared around players requiring such things anyhow, therefore there is no issue to complain about.
It has also been mentioned that it may be a simple method to Platinum the game because you can skip through the harder levels and obtain upgrades so rapidly, which would be a tempting choice for trophy seekers.
“The latest Resident Evil 4 Remake update has made the Platinum drastically easier. You can unlock the Handcannon fast in the new Mercenaries DLC in thirty minutes and also purchase exclusive weapon upgrade tickets for $3 on the store and do not need to farm spinels. Pay to Plat,” one tweet reads.
The latest Resident Evil 4 Remake update has drastically made the platinum easier. You can unlock the Handcannon quickly in the new Mercenaries DLC in 30 minutes and also purchase exclusive weapon upgrade tickets for $3 on the store and don't need to farm spinels. Pay to Plat! pic.twitter.com/yPzjhYLfwV
— Brian English 🏆 (@PS5Trophies_) April 7, 2023
This type of discussion arises whenever single-player games include microtransactions like this; earlier Resident Evil remakes did so soon after their releases, and Assassin’s Creed titles frequently include time-savers.
Even though we’ll probably hear this argument again the very next time a AAA game does this, players are right to believe that it actually does not affect anyone’s experience save for the person who is going to purchase it.