Split Fiction review

The narrative in Split Fiction is as wonderfully bonkers as you’d expect from this lot. You take on the roles of two seemingly disparate authors, Mio and Zoe. It is about two writers who get invited by a corporation to get their books published but things go south because publishing your book means getting into a simulator that extracts your ideas, and that doesn’t start smoothly for Mio and Zoe. From there, both Zoe and Mio’s ideas collide creating the premise for one of the most fun videogame you’ll play this year!

Both characters are opposites to each other. One likes techno music and the other likes acoustic, one is pessimistic and the other is optimistic and so on. And just like It Takes Two, trust and bond building is often the running theme of the story. It’s definitely cheesy but it never forces your interest to keep you playing, it’s actually the imaginative, and often changing, gameplay that really pulls you into the game. It manages to stay fresh by alternating between the sci-fi and fantasy world that’s written by Mio and Zoe. Mio’s stories are all sci-fi where you’re navigating a sleek, futuristic cityscape, with all neon glow, concrete walls and hovering vehicles, while Zoe’s writing deals with magical worlds with mythical beasts and Harry Potter-esque fantasy.

Gameplay is where Split Fiction truly shines, showcasing Hazelight's knack for inventive and varied mechanics. The split-screen isn't just a visual gimmick; it's the very heart and soul of the gameplay experience. Often, what one player sees and does directly impacts the other's environment or abilities. 

The core gameplay is jump, double jump, dash, grappling and wall running similar to It Takes Two. Over those, it’s laced with a colossal amount of varied gameplay mechanics thanks to clever level design. In one mission Mio and Zoe turn into a cyber ninja to cut enemies in her (Mio’s) futuristic world, and in another mission, Mio becomes a giant monkey to navigate the magical world written by Zoe. All levels involve each player controlling different aspects of the gameplay mechanic and coordinating with the other player to finish the platforming, shooting, puzzle-solving and more. It's pretty clear the game's pulling from a bunch of cool stuff like Donkey Kong, Sailor Moon, Assassin's Creed, Harry Potter, and even Fall Guys. You can spot those influences all over the place - the gameplay, level designs, and even the chats between characters. It’s a proper genre-bender.

Controls are fairly simple and easy to get into but platforming can get a bit challenging for those with zero or very little gaming experience. Ideally, we’d pass the controller to our non-gamer partner to get them into video games, but Split Fiction may or may not be the best starting point for that. Boss battles and some platforming sections require timing, attention and alertness. Albeit, it’s a bit forgiving with quick respawns. 

The puzzles are ingeniously designed, requiring constant communication and a genuine understanding of what your partner is experiencing. There's a real sense of accomplishment when you finally crack a particularly tricky conundrum, a feeling amplified by the fact that you did it together. And none of the levels overstay their welcome. 

Sometimes, the gameplay switches more than 3 times in a single level, going from a third-person shooter to a Metroid-like platformer to a bullet hell. One minute you're coordinating a daring escape across an Ogre-infested village, the next you're shooting laser guns in the future. It’s a proper rollercoaster of cooperative chaos, and we absolutely lapped it up.

Visually, Split Fiction is a treat. It looks and plays very stable. Environments and camera angles change rapidly to mix up gameplay mechanics for your entertainment. From neon-lit skyscrapers and flying cars to lush jungles and pirana-infested rivers, there’s a lot to see here and all of it is changing at a moment's notice.

The clever bit is how these two distinct visual styles complement each other on the split screen. There’s a clear visual language that helps you understand what’s happening in your partner’s world, even when it looks nothing like your own. Hazelight has clearly poured a lot of love and attention into crafting these two distinct but interconnected visual experiences, and the result is a game that’s as entertaining to the eye as a perfectly choreographed Red Bull video.

Split Fiction is one of the best games of this year. Hazelight has taken its winning formula of innovative co-op gameplay and creative level design and twisted it in a wonderfully inventive new direction. The split-screen mechanic is the foundation for some truly ingenious puzzles and genuinely engaging cooperative moments.

While the constant need for communication might not appeal to the more introverted among us (you’ll be nattering away like old hens, mark our words), for those who relish the joy of tackling a challenge alongside a friend, Split Fiction is an absolute must-play. It’s funny, it’s clever, it’s surprisingly challenging, and it’s a shining example of how cooperative gaming can be so much more than just two players doing the same thing in the same space. 

Hazelight has once again proven itself to be a master of the co-op craft, and Split Fiction is another jewel in its already glittering crown. Go on, grab a mate and dive in – you won’t regret it (unless your communication skills are truly atrocious, in which case, good luck!).