If the game industry had a “most improved” award, it’d surely go to Hazelight Studios. Led by former film director and forever Oscars hater Josef Fares, Hazelight has built its reputation on co-op games that tug at the heart. It’s a studio known for several trademarks: asymmetric combat and puzzles; “always on” split-screen, even when online; the pro-consumer Friend Pass feature, which allows the second person to play for free.
Founded on smaller successes like 2013’s Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (which Fares directed, albeit at a different studio) and A Way Out (2018), Hazelight has grown to become an indie sensation. Yet, it didn’t do so overnight. It earned its flowers—and deservedly so—by releasing good games, each one better than the last.
Split Fiction, the latest offering from Hazelight, is arguably the studio’s most ambitious to date. It takes lessons from its award-winning predecessor, It Takes Two (2021), while shoring up many of the story issues—though not all—that kept It Takes Two from being a generational classic. The result is an admirable take on the sci-fi and fantasy genres, an excellent co-op video game, and a laudable leap forward for interactive fiction.
“We’re Going to Need a Better Agent.”
Split Fiction stars Mio and Zoe, two writers with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Mio, a sci-fi lover who expresses herself through violence, and Zoe, a fantasy stan who prefers cute worlds and happy endings, are unpublished with seemingly zero prospects. Suddenly, both are invited to Rader Publishing as part of a program that will allow the two to bring their stories to life.
Where a traditional publisher might bring a story to life via the Barnes & Noble shelf, Rader has a more literal route in mind. Soon after arriving at the publishing firm, our protagonists are hooked up to a machine that will let them dream their stories in vivid detail, so that these narratives can be exported and served up to consumers.
While Zoe enthusiastically embraces the opportunity, Mio has second thoughts. After voicing her disapproval to the namesake founder of Rader himself, Mio accidentally gets entangled in Zoe’s dreams, and their two worlds collide. To escape their situation and unravel the darker secrets at the heart of Rader Publishing, Mio and Zoe must traverse their own sci-fi and fantasy worlds in search of “glitches” in the machine that could lead them back to reality.
It’s a fairly elaborate premise that can be boiled down to a single tagline: Can’t choose between sci-fi and fantasy? Why not both! That mantra is at the core of Split Fiction, allowing players to indulge in two of literature’s biggest genres through the unique lens of a video game. It sounds cool, and as you might expect from a Hazelight game, it plays even better.
From Divorcées to Besties
When I reviewed It Takes Two in 2021, my biggest criticism, by far, concerned the game’s narrative. Here’s what I had to say then, courtesy of Worthplaying:
Unlike its Disney inspiration, however, It Takes Two lacks much of the subtlety afforded in films like Inside Out or 2020’s Soul. May and Cody’s relationship exists almost entirely through the lens of their impending divorce. Nary a scene goes by where one doesn’t bring it up, and each time, it feels heavy-handed. This is exacerbated by the Book of Love, whose constant, overplayed pep talks border on grating.
Years later, I still ask myself: What if the story had incorporated more nuance? What if it had offered more than just “Divorce sucks. Try to stick it out”? For all of its cerebral puzzles, It Takes Two gave a surprisingly simplistic look at the nature of love, passion, and companionship, squandering an opportunity to be something more than a textbook tale.
Split Fiction, thankfully, doesn’t suffer from the same problem. When players take control of Mio and Zoe, the pair have only just met, allowing a blank slate far more palatable than May and Cody’s constant bickering. The game establishes important facets of each character early on, from Mio’s jaded outlook on life to Zoe’s tireless optimism. What first presents as a “strangers to fast friends” story soon evolves into a tender exploration of each person’s inner psyche.
It’s not perfect. The scene writing lacks the creativity I would expect from a video game about writing, and the voice actors and mocap do a lot of the heavy lifting to endear the player to these characters. Rader, meanwhile, is nothing more than a cartoon villain (think a whinier Elon Musk)—someone who exists because the game needs a final boss. I would have loved more subtlety to his character, seeing as how he receives decent screen time.
For all my complaints, however, Split Fiction’s story delivers where it counts: making me care for Mio, Zoe, and their respective plights. Hazelight hasn’t cracked that Disney/Pixar-level ceiling, but it’s making notable strides.
Flash Fiction
As hard as I am on Hazelight’s storytelling, I also recognize that interactive fiction is far greater than just lines of dialogue and plot exposition. Everything, from a game’s visuals and sound design to its world and mechanics, helps to further that story.
It’s here where, perhaps to no surprise, Split Fiction excels. Like It Takes Two before it, Split Fiction has players jumping, climbing, and swinging their way through elaborate worlds that are a wonder to behold. Where It Takes Two was grounded—literally—in mouse-sized escapades reminiscent of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Split Fiction goes larger-than-life, putting players in scenarios inspired by some of the greatest fictional properties of all time.
I want to respect spoilers, as part of the fun of Split Fiction is discovery. Generally speaking, though, you and a friend will see a varied mix of locales ranging from cyberpunk and war-torn worlds to medieval castles and magical cities.
Structurally, the game takes place across several core worlds, with additional side stories placed just off the beaten path. Much like the optional mini-games in It Takes Two, the side stories in Split Fiction are meant to provide a quick reprieve from the action, whisking Mio and Zoe away to complete a short adventure of the opposite genre. (If the core world is sci-fi, the side stories will be fantasy-flavored, and vice versa.)
There’s a beautiful rhythm to Split Fiction’s gameplay. Sci-fi worlds tend to focus on combat encounters and boss battles, while fantasy worlds prioritize puzzle-solving. I played alongside my partner, who gravitated instantly to the more leisurely pace of Zoe’s worlds, only to sweat when we embarked on a sci-fi mission. If we had one critique, it’s that the fantasy worlds are a touch shorter than the sci-fi ones and generally play it safer in terms of set-pieces. A few more creative ideas would have gone a long way to flesh out those worlds, but even as is, Split Fiction has tons of marquee moments to enjoy.
Wreck-It Rader
If there’s one area where Split Fiction has zero notes from me, it’s in its dedication to video game lore. Given the game’s focus on literature, I wasn’t surprised by many of the big inspirations (Dune, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, among others). But what did floor me was the sheer amount of gaming history on display.
Navigating the worlds of Split Fiction is like perusing a museum of vintage video games. From blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos, to genre switch-ups (shoot-em-ups, stealth sections, etc.), to entire levels inspired by gaming greats, Split Fiction knows its audience. If you thought Astro Bot’s commitment to the bit was novel, Hazelight’s latest will blow you away.
Heck, the Easter eggs don’t even stop at books and games. You’ll find film and anime allusions, pop-culture references, and even tongue-in-cheek callbacks to Hazelight’s history. Some are more subtle than others, but all are welcome additions to a game already brimming with fun ideas and thoughtful mechanics.
Final Thoughts
Split Fiction is another great addition to the Hazelight catalog—one that solidifies the studio as the paragon of co-op gameplay. My partner and I spent about 14 hours seeing everything the game has to offer, and could easily have doubled that time by replaying as the other protagonist. (Mio and Zoe share a core set of moves—a double-jump, dash, and grapple—but otherwise play completely differently, ensuring both players come away with novel experiences.)
If you thought It Takes Two was a fluke, think again. Split Fiction learns from its predecessor’s story missteps, doubles down on the great platforming, and deftly pays homage to gaming royalty. The result is Hazelight’s most creative game to date, and—in my humble opinion—its best.
Score: 9.3/10
Split Fiction, developed by Hazelight Studios and published by EA, is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. MSRP: $49.99, with the ability to to play free via Friend Pass.
Disclaimer: A review code was provided by the publisher.
Random Quotes From My Partner While Playing
On Rader and his machine:
- “Isn’t that a HIPAA violation?”
- “He’s too worried about them breaking his stupid-ass machine.”
- “Yo, you don’t care about human lives?!”
- “This dude sounds like Elon Musk.”
- “This man could’ve been a good person and used his creation for therapy.”
On Zoe’s animal-filled fantasy lands:
- “We’re piggies!!”
- “Is all of this inside of a tree?!”
- “She wrote about a cat?! Not a dog??”
- “The dragons are our fire pups!”
- “Oh my goodness, they’re teenagers now.”
- “Mine is named Sheila.”
On Mio’s many sci-fi stories:
- “Lord help us, your world is dangerous!”
- “Are you jealous that your levels aren’t as fun?”
- “I’m not cut out for your story.”
On our femme protagonists:
- “I like their outfits.”
- “Those were sapphic eyes!! Write that down! Write that down!”
- “Their outfits are always so cute.”
On the game’s mechanics:
- “Where are my coins?”
- “I didn’t die, but I got seriously fucked up.”
- “What the fuck is a wall run? You can’t just run across a wall with a hand and a foot!”
- (Pays me back, after I drop her off a ledge) “That’s for being a bitch.”
