Split Fiction is the best co-op game I’ve played since It Takes Two — but some of the magic is lost

It feels a little harsh that one of my biggest criticisms of Split Fiction is that it’s not It Takes Two. Developer Hazelight’s 2021 co-op title came from nowhere to become one of my favorite games of that year. And while the follow-up Split Fiction meets the same quality bar, it faces the hurdle of increased expectations. Unfortunately, doesn’t quite vault over it.

This isn’t to say it’s not still an essential title for anybody looking for a game they can play with a loved one. In the underserved cooperative video games market, Split Fiction is one of the best options around, only challenged by its predecessor. The core setup, which sees you cross science-fiction and fantasy worlds, is ripe for inventive gameplay, and let me assure you now, Hazelight has lost none of the creative spark on display in It Takes Two.

Unfortunately, it also falls into the same pitfalls as its predecessor. Almost every moment you’re playing Split Fiction is a delight, but the minutes where you're watching cutscenes unfold, well, those aren’t quite so special. Let me explain in my full Split Fiction review.

Split Fiction: The Basics

• What is it? Split Fiction is a third-person co-op action-adventure where you play as either Mio or Zoe, two unpublished authors trapped in a machine that brings their writing to life. To escape, you'll need to platform, solve puzzles and collaborate with your co-op partner.
• Who is it for? As a co-op-only experience, Split Fiction is designed from the ground up for two players. It's great for any gamers crafting a diverse experience that never asks you to do the same thing twice.
• What's the price? Split Fiction costs $49 on all platforms. Plus, you only need to buy one copy to play online with a friend.
• What other games has the developer made? Split Fiction comes from Hazelight, the studio behind similar co-op games It Takes Two and A Way Out.
• What games is this similar to? In almost all ways, Split Fiction is reminiscent of Hazelight's previous game, It Takes Two. This is no bad thing. It Takes Two won Game of the Year at the Game Awards 2021.

Bringing stories to life

Split Fiction’s setup sees you and a co-op partner take on the roles of Zoe and Mio (yes, that’s Mio, not Mia as I incorrectly called her for the first couple of levels). These two women are unpublished authors — Zoe specializes in fantasy, while Mio is focused on sci-fi. The two are invited to test a new machine by a shady tech conglomerate called Rader Publishing.

The machine lets them step into their own storybook creations, but, unsurprisingly, things go awry. Zoe and Mio end up trapped in the machine, forced to track down glitches in hopes of finding an exit. Even more unsurprisingly, it soon turns out that the tech tycoon who created the machine has nefarious plans and is actually using his invention to steal stories.

The thinly veiled comment on the way corporate greed seeks to exploit the creativity of artists isn’t subtle, and to be blunt, Zoe and Mio appear to be such amateurish authors that I’m not entirely sure their stories are worth stealing. Mio’s sci-fi tales include a yarn about cyber ninjas on a quest for vengeance in a dystopian future city, while Zoe’s creates a fantasy world inhabited by noble dragons. Neither is exactly reinventing the conventions of the genre here.

Zoe and Mio are serviceable but generic heroes. Neither is offensive, but their arcs are dull and simplistic (Mio starts off cynically abrasive, and Zoe endlessly optimistic). Every time Split Fiction would pause the gameplay action to dish out another morsel of the story or to present a lengthy dialogue exchange between its protagonists, my co-op partner and I would groan.

Getting to the good stuff

I’m aware at this point in my review, I’ve said very little positive about Split Fiction. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was set to be a scathing write-up, but nothing could be further from the truth. I still thoroughly recommend Split Fiction because once you start playing, the cliche story and predictable character arcs melt into the background and can be easily forgotten.

This is typically the point where I’d explain what genre of video game Split Fiction falls into, but the problem is that it leaps across so many that it’s darn difficult to nail down. One moment, you and your partner are running across rooftops in a cyberpunk megalopolis; the next, you’re riding on the backs of large dragons and solving puzzles with your unique abilities.

Those examples are just the very start, you’ll also race through the skies on gliders, fend off foes in a top-down dungeon-crawler-style segment, and get access to a pair of dual-pistols for some shooter sequences. There’s even a dance-off with a monkey king. I could probably fill this whole review by just listing all the different gameplay styles included in Split Fiction.

If pressed for an answer, I’d say the most common gameplay type is platforming. Mio and Zoe must run, dash and jump at some point in almost every level. These segments can get a little mundane, especially as the platforming isn’t as tight as in something like Astro Bot. The platform is also a little bland because it usually happens divorced from your co-op partners.

Split Fiction shines brightest in the numerous sections that require working in tandem to progress. Most puzzles have simple enough solutions, but completing them demands coordination and communication. Throughout the game’s 10-12 hour main campaign, it was always very satisfying working together with my chosen partner to progress to the next level.

Worth being sidetracked

As noted, Split Fiction’s main path sees you hopping between Mio’s sci-fi creations and Zoe’s fantasy tales. This blend works well and helps give the game an even stronger sense of variety. There aren’t too many games where you fight a boss with a pink neon laser sword and then immediately become a shapeshifter in a magical forest full of helpful critters.

Split Fiction is definitely a game where you’ll want to stop and smell the roses, or more specifically, stop to complete every single “Side Story” you discover. The competitive mini-games from It Takes Two are gone, and in their place are optional levels found across the mandatory campaign, and these present you with the game’s most creative segments.

The biggest laugh in my entire playthrough came when my partner and I stepped into a Side Story that saw us transformed into farmyard pigs — and just to make things even more bonkers, my pig’s special ability was magical rainbow farts. This level gets increasingly surreal in its back half when you lead your piggy protagonists into a meat grinder and then must flop around on a picnic table as sausages. Literally throwing yourself onto the BBQ.

As is always the case with Split Fiction, the above is just one example of the numerously creative situations on offer. Others see you step into Zoe’s notebook for a hand-drawn adventure, while another is framed as a short story written by a 5-year-old Mio and involves playing as a tooth in a sugary candy world. The list goes on and on. Many of Split Fiction’s best sections are found within these entirely optional levels, so I implore you not to skip a single one. Almost all are worthwhile.

Some experience necessary

As with It Takes Two before it (and A Way Out before that), Split Fiction is a mandatory co-op experience. To repeat, there is no single-player option. You either play this game with another player, or you do not play it at all.

It’s also important to note that due to the need for cooperation, I strongly recommend you play with someone you know rather than plucking a stranger from an online forum. Split Fiction demands near-constant communication and can’t be silently fumbled through.

For those curious about the game’s difficulty level, I’d say it’s fairly slight. There are a few moderately challenging sections, particularly bosses, but no more than, for example, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. However, there’s essentially zero punishment for death. So long as your partner is still alive, you’ll respawn after a few seconds. Checkpoints are also very frequent.

Nevertheless, I recommend playing with somebody with at least some familiarity with video games. Because of the precise nature of some of the timings required to complete puzzle and platforming sections, you’ll need your partner to be comfortable with gaming basics.

Split Fiction review: Verdict

Hazelight has once again created one of the finest co-op games ever made. Split Fiction never loses steam because it refuses to have you doing the same thing for too long. You will be surprised, delighted and charmed by its quirky ideas and ever-changing gameplay mechanics. One moment, you’re racing hoverbikes; the next, you’re an acid-spitting dragon.

Like its predecessor, the cheesy story saps momentum a little too often, but the uninspired narrative is extremely easy to overlook once you’re back in control of your chosen protagonist and can race to see what gameplay surprise awaits around the next corner.