There is a soft spot for developer Hazelight Studio. I enjoyed the loophole, but I worshipped me simply taking two. I have not played any kind of game that I have played it with my wife that I have to state.
Enter their latest project, Split Fiction. After explaining to my wife that two teams were making a new game, I didn’t need much else to get her on board. And here we are.
Split fiction is undoubtedly some of the most enjoyable things I’ve experienced in the game in quite a while. The story lined up at a fierce pace, but not necessarily emotional and moves as much as it moves, but more than making up for it with unique gameplay elements and a few set pieces that plunge out of their seats in excitement.
This is a game that is a collaborative play banking business, both locally and online, but it is recommended for almost anyone given the very close intertwining of experiences in terms of each other’s story and gameplay.
Is it your story or mine?
The player is two ambitious yet struggling authors who have been given the opportunity to publish their work from an emerging tech company. The company encapsulates the authors in a certain type of simulation, allowing the authors to experience their stories firsthand while their ideas are extracted and ultimately published. Zoe was initially on board, but MIO has doubts about the entire process and wants to leave the experiment, accidentally falling into Zoe’s simulation bubble.
Now, Mio and Zoe are tied to each other and have to work together to finally escape within the simulation. But the catch is that our two main characters have to endure jumping between each other’s stories. Mio loves science fiction, but Zoe likes fantasy. It’s an explosion that bounces back between the two stories, but as they dig a little deeper, they quickly realize that things aren’t exactly as they appear, and their ideas are slowly being stolen.
Even though the game’s villain, Radar, sometimes feels a bit of a cookie cutter, working through their own worlds is an absolute explosion. The game takes two emotional hooks, but two. This puts the player in a situation where they have to proceed to save the marriage, but split fiction is a bit safer.
If applicable, you may touch on some ratios. Of course, the duo, who couldn’t even leave even further from a personality standpoint, quickly realizes that they have to put the differences aside and bring them together. However, these ratios are used in some exciting ways and rarely remain long enough to be forced or uncomfortable. It’s surprisingly appealing to see a game that actively plunges and admires its impact on every turn in a balanced and directional order.
That being said, split fiction requires certain opportunities to add some depth as you expand your character and dive into the motivations behind the story. It takes a little time to bring the points home, but in the end it all comes together quite well.
Two
From a gameplay perspective, split fiction is quite familiar to anyone who has played it. Each level usually places some new toys for both players to confuse.
I don’t want to ruin the different mechanics and levels of the game, but I can say I find the controls and overall gameplay very satisfying. There are basic traversal skills like double jumps and dashes that stick to you throughout the game, which helps the platform feel smooth in butter.
Most of the time, Split Fiction does the perfect job of making things feel accessible for players of all ages and skill levels. Things can sometimes be a little tricky, but this game does the best job of diversifying tasks, generally allowing players to grasp the mechanics across levels.
Through it, division fiction is just you do so much. Become a cyber ninja in Mio’s story to whip enemies in novelty and shape between a giant Groot-like wooden monster and a gorilla in Zoe’s fantasy-driven adventure. Filming, slashing, climbing, shaking, driving, flying, swimming, sliding down the sides of a building, the list can really last.
The game sometimes adorns the player with some great set pieces. These are generally a little more exciting in Mio’s stories, but in general there’s always a lot going on, so take advantage of new hardware. Also, each level will throw several boss battles at the player.
These parts are generally a bit harsh, but as long as it takes two, in the game you can come back if the game dies, as long as the other players are still alive. Still, if both players die at the same time, you won’t step back a big deal as the checkpoint is always generous enough.
However, it is worth noting that each world presents its own story throughout the 15-hour runtime. In other words, things are always made to feel fresh. I’ve lost the game that has been able to draw you from one world to another many times, maintaining a constant sense of pace and excitement.
Please look at the parts
Split fiction is only available in the current console, but the reason is very simple. Its art style is completely unrealistic, but it is still incredibly gorgeous.
What stands out, however, is the chin dropping scenery and environment in which the game is playing. There are hours of scenes where Mio and Zoe simply take their seats on the rooftop bench in a futuristic city inspired by Mio’s Cyberpunk, and my wife and I had to silence and absorb everything.
Even on the PlayStation 5, split fiction was running at 60 fps the whole time. This is certainly solid considering how you can get something confusing.
Finally, it is worth noting here that you only need to buy the game once. The game can be played locally with two players on the sofa, but friends can also download a friend’s pass and play online with someone who already owns the base game.
Final thoughts
Overall, split fiction is nothing more than an incredibly collaborative experience that can pack a compelling story, fun gameplay and a comparable moment to pack two moments.
The main villains are sometimes a bit bland, but this game hasn’t been going well. Given how much I like it, I’m floored on how well they follow things and I can’t speak enough of manager Joseph Fars and his team at Hazelight Studios.
This is one of the best games of 2025 so far and I recommend it to almost anyone from every stage. Play split fiction.
5 stars (out of 5)
Highlights: Great gameplay with a variety of mechanics. A charming story at a pace. Gorgeous set pieces
Lowlight: The main villain feels a bit bland
Developer: Hazelight Studios
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC
Available: Now
Reviews conducted on PlayStation 5 use release code provided by the publisher.
