Split Fiction review: A game of two halves

Indeed, there is quite a lot to celebrate here. Split Fiction has properly gorgeous visuals, a seemingly endless trove of gameplay ideas, and a fun premise to back it all up with.

That premise, if you’re unfamiliar, is that two struggling authors — one who writes fantasy stories and one who writes sci-fi — unwittingly sign up for a tech company to make immersive worlds based on their unpublished stories. The catch? They get sucked into these simulations and things start going wrong immediately.

This is, quite literally, a game of two halves. There’s the sci-fi part, full of 'cyber ninjas', motorbike chases and frustrating multi-stage boss battles with giant robots. And then there’s the fantasy part, which has fairies, trolls and frustrating puzzles that require both players to do the exact right thing at the exact right time (which will be familiar if you played Hazelight’s last game, It Takes Two).

Indeed, whichever half of the game you’re in, there are moments that are sent to test you. There will be tricky segments that you’ll have to take multiple attempts at. Even the most friendly pair of co-op companions — whether you’re playing locally or online – will no doubt end up arguing at some point.

If you get really stuck, and it’s not worth ruining a friendship, relationship, familial bond or marriage over, there is an option in the menus to skip to the next cut scene. This feels like cheating, and we might have preferred some proper difficulty options instead, but at least you don’t have to bang your head against a wall forever.

The good part is that Split Fiction doesn’t stick with any idea for too long. As they did in It Takes Two, the developers from Hazelight have filled this game to the brim with original ideas that rarely outstay their welcome.

Aiding this ambitious idea, and helping the game to constantly stay fresh, is the fact that there are mini levels littered around the main story. These are based on stray thoughts from our author characters, those wacky ideas that never quite made it to fruition.

It’s in these side stories that Split Fiction really flexes its creativity and offers you some unabashed fun. Can you survive in a world of Dune-like sandworms (which are actually sand sharks in this case)? Can you survive in a farmyard setting as a pig with magical farts? Can you survive in a world of sci-fi wing-suits and speeding train heists?

These side levels add so much to the overall experience, and when you combine them in your mind with all the variation and action in the main fantasy and sci-fi worlds, you’ll agree that this is some of the most ambitious game design we’ve seen in years.

Not every idea works perfectly, and sure, some of them might p*** you off, but overall this is a very good time.

Shoutout to the designers for creating two such visually distinctive worlds – the sci-fi side has something of a dark Tron-meets-Cyberpunk vibe, while the fantasy side is lusciously green and filled with wonder.

They look totally different, and have their own enjoyable soundtracks, which means there must have been people working very hard behind the scenes to make two different games that could stitch together into one cohesive story.

Your mileage with the story itself may vary. We’d say it’s a step up from It Takes Two, where the talking book character was so grating that almost all the cut scenes had the potential to get on your nerves.

In Split Fiction, the writing is still a bit on the nose, and the bickering between the two playable characters is a little grating at times (although the voice actors are clearly doing their best to sell it). Luckily, the overarching story is interesting enough and the main attraction is the gameplay, really.

Split Fiction isn’t perfect, then. If you’re looking for a chilled out game to play with your partner for an evening, please note that you will both be tested, and remember that 'skip to the next checkpoint' option is there to save you in the gameplay menu.

When you step away from it, though, it’s impossible not to admire what Hazelight has achieved here. Two vastly different and beautiful games, stuffed with original ideas and wacky side missions, with true co-op game design that really requires you to work together. When it all clicks together, this is a properly great game.

Split Fiction will easily earn a spot on our list of the best co-op games. We’d thoroughly recommend that you give it a go, especially if you enjoyed It Takes Two.

There’s a bit more of an action focus this time (with wall-running that has me wondering if EA put Hazelight in touch with the Star Wars Jedi team from Respawn), but that core co-op fun is still present and correct and a magical thing to behold. Just be ready for the arguments to ensue!

Split Fiction is a game of two halves. But when you zoom out to admire the whole experience, it’s impossible to deny that it’s something special.

Split Fiction is out now on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and you can order your copy now. We reviewed on PS5.

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