There were high expectations for Hazelight Studios’ Split Fiction after securing multiple Game of the Year awards with It Takes Two four years ago, including the 2021 Game of the Year at The Game Awards. But I was lukewarm when I saw the game’s first reveal trailer. I asked myself, "What could Split Fiction do differently that It Takes Two hasn’t already accomplished?"
As I rolled the credits on the game’s 13–14 hours of playtime (depending on your pace with your partner), I realized something: Split Fiction is, in fact, a completely different game—one that doesn’t necessarily outdo It Takes Two but instead stands as its own unique experience.
A Sisterly Bond
The game’s premise revolves around two writers, Mio and Zoe, who find themselves caught in a simulation that transforms their creations into massive, interactive worlds. Mio specializes in science fiction, crafting dark, gritty dystopias filled with robots, neon lights, and explosions, while Zoe loves fantasy stories packed with flying creatures, dragons, and magic.
The game focuses on their developing bond, which serves as the narrative’s emotional core. Each character has a role to play in escaping their simulation, and throughout the game, we’re left invested in the stories they put themselves in their art.
Despite its comedic highs, the game never fails to deliver emotional depth to its cast, giving Mio and Zoe meaningful character development during dramatic moments.
My buddy and I were interested in their dynamic. Mio, the introvert, and Zoe, the extrovert, have clashing personalities that evolve as the game progresses. Watching their friendship form paralleled the game’s intent—to bring two players together to develop a bond.
When Worlds Apart
It Takes Two was a game I fondly remember playing and completing with my 12-year-old sister during the pandemic. Looking back, it was the perfect game for a time when everyone was stuck indoors, so I wondered how Hazelight would build upon that now that life has returned to normal.
Thankfully, with the game’s innovative Friend’s Pass system, you don’t need to be in the same place to play together. Instead, you simply invite a friend to join your session. It’s straightforward: the game owner downloads it, the friend downloads a free version (which can’t be played alone), and the owner provides an access code.
Even better, Split Fiction supports cross-platform play. This system is genuinely impressive, and it was exactly how I played the game with my buddy.
Hazelight Studios has also set up a dedicated Discord channel for those without readily available co-op partners, encouraging players to connect and form bonds with new friends.
Jolly Cooperation
Split Fiction achieves something that most co-op games struggle with: a rollercoaster of set pieces and inventive mechanics that never overstay their welcome. Hazelight has mastered the coop genre, refining its level design and gameplay over the years, and it shows in the game’s 8 massive chapters. You’re never stuck doing the same thing for too long—each section offers new opportunities for both players to contribute, keeping the experience fresh and engaging.
From the moment you start moving your characters, there’s always something that requires cooperation between both players. Whether you like it or not, you have to rely on each other and pull each other’s weight.
The game even encourages friendly pranks. Some levels practically beg you to mess with your partner by tossing them into a pit or blowing them up.
There are also moments of frustration—especially if your partner isn’t well-versed in video games. I can already imagine the shouting and screaming between two players lacking the hashtag gaming reflexes. Don’t even think about finding an ‘easy character.’ Mio and Zoe each have distinct mechanics that are equally challenging.
Best Of Both Worlds
Despite being rooted in two primary genres—fantasy and science fiction—Hazelight masterfully explores their many sub-genres, turning them into bite-sized adventures that showcase their full potential. Sci-fi isn’t just neon lights and cyberpunk, and fantasy doesn’t always mean talking trees.
The main game perfectly balances fantasy and sci-fi, ensuring neither world overstays its welcome. Each level introduces new mechanics that keep players engaged, making every new section an exciting surprise.
The game also introduces Side Stories—extra levels similar to It Takes Two’s mini-games—offering refreshing detours when the main gameplay starts to feel repetitive. These moments are filled with absurd surprises that I won’t spoil, but trust me, they’re a delight. It’s best to go in blind.
Performance & Optimization
As polished as Split Fiction is, it’s not without flaws. The game runs smoothly on PlayStation 5 with no frame rate issues, but occasional bugs and glitches disrupted our experience. Mio and Zoe sometimes die from random collisions or get locked out of interactable objects like elevator buttons.
Some sections also felt frustrating, even for experienced players. One encounter involving an exploding ball had us groaning repeatedly—the controls weren’t as responsive as we would’ve liked. We could only imagine how frustrating it might be for less experienced players or those dealing with controller drift.
That said, these are minor gripes in an otherwise phenomenal experience. The less interesting levels don’t last long—just like the best ones.
Verdict
“You are not alone.” That’s the core message Hazelight Studios delivers with Split Fiction. As cheesy as it sounds, the game reinforces this idea through its gameplay.
Even with its minor flaws, Split Fiction is a fantastic cooperative adventure. It doesn’t need to compete with It Takes Two because they explore completely different themes. Split Fiction offers a heartfelt story about friendship and cooperation told at a consistently engaging pace.
There was always something new to experience, and I was constantly eager to see what would come next.
I’m genuinely impressed with what Hazelight has achieved here. There were moments when my buddy and I audibly went, “Wow!” at a new sequence. Without spoiling too much, I can confidently say the final levels are nothing short of spectacular.
As we finished the game, we speculated on where Hazelight Studios could take the cooperative genre next. With how fully realized Split Fiction is, it feels like they’ve already pushed the genre’s limits—but with Josef Fares still at the helm, who knows what’s next? Whatever it is, we’re excited to find out.
