Split Fiction review round-up: What do the critics say?

Like almost everyone else, we were impressed with the company's previous game (It Takes Two), and we've found that Split Fiction scratches a very similar itch.

Again, you might feel the urge to skip a few cut scenes if the characters don't grab you, but the gameplay is so good that you'll always want to keep playing.

Supporting both online and couch-based co-op, the game puts you and another player into a fun story that blends sci-fi and fantasy with heaps of other wild ideas. (A whole mini-level where you play as pigs in the muck, anyone?)

The gameplay is constantly evolving, with a bit more of a focus on action this time around. There's even wall-running, making us wonder if publisher EA put Hazelight in touch with the Star Wars Jedi team at Respawn.

New concepts are thrown in all the time, and often discarded after the thrill has worn off.

It's a game that never sits still, and if you've got a partner at home to play this with, we'd wager that you'll have a great time – albeit with maybe a few heated discussions along the way! (Apologies for claiming it was my partner's wrongdoing when I was the one actually doing a puzzle incorrectly...)

But don't just take our word for it. We've complied reviews from around the web to give you a sense of what people are saying about Split Fiction. Let's get to it.

What is the Split Fiction Metacritic score?

Split Fiction currently has a Metacritic score of 92 on PC, 91 on PS5, and 92 on Xbox Series X/S.

This is very good news for hopeful players that have been waiting for the game to come out. We don't imagine that many people will be cancelling their pre-orders at this point!

Split Fiction qualifies as a 'must-play' with 'universal acclaim', according to Metacritic's usual system of review aggregation.

Split Fiction review round-up

Now it's time to run through some of the Split Fiction reviews!

Luke Reilly from IGN gave the game a 9 out of 10 score. Reilly called the game "an expertly crafted co-op adventure that pinballs from one genre extreme to another". "Split Fiction is a roller coaster of constantly refreshed gameplay ideas and styles – and one that’s very hard to walk away from."

Sam Loveridge for Games Radar awarded Split Fiction 4.5 stars out of 5. She called it "another expertly crafted cooperative game from Hazelight that perfectly straddles two genres simultaneously and consistently introduces one good idea after another".

A couple of key themes are already starting to emerge there – expertly crafted, and constantly changing, which we can definitely vouch for based on our experiences so far.

Aaron Potter for The Mirror opted for a perfect 5-star score. He said, "Split Fiction is a blast from start to finish, whether experienced by foot, neon bike, or on the back of a dragon!"

Lloyd Coombes from the Daily Star also gave a perfect 5/5 rating. He said, "I could write about Split Fiction for another few thousand words and still not cover everything that made me smile.

"As with 2024's Astro Bot, it's bursting at the seams with a Nintendo-like playfulness, an excited child opening a toybox to show you everything it can, and yet with a more measured pacing that stops it running out of breath."

Jade King of The Gamer gave 4/5. Explaining why she didn't award a perfect score, she summed up two major negatives like so: "Predictable storytelling that is often dependent on cliche," and then, "Certain levels are much longer than they need to be."

Chris Scullion at VGC also went for 4/5. He said, "The game is occasionally in danger of verging into repetitive territory with its constant shifting between two main environments, but its healthy selection of varied side-stories and its constantly changing mechanics ensure its gameplay remains engaging and entertaining throughout, even if the same can't always be said for its story."

Eurogamer's Katharine Castle was among the 'perfect score' crowd, giving 5/5 to the game. She said, "Fantastic from start to finish, Split Fiction is one of the most inventive and joyful co-op games to date, and a testament to the power of human imagination."

And that's about the gist of it! Almost everyone seems to love this game, so here's hoping that it finds a big audience.

Split Fiction launches 6th March for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. You can order your copy now.

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