Split Fiction review: A tour de force with extra wow factor

Split Fiction is a triumph in every sense of the word. It totally exceeded my expectations, which is quite the statement because they were already sky high. It’s a game that manages to be so many things at once, and that’s not simply down to its setting-hopping premise. Split Fiction is, most importantly, a thrilling must-play of a co-op romp; I can comfortably say that I have never laughed more playing a game. But so too is Split Fiction a wonderful ode to gaming as an art form, with the player constantly flung from one genre to another. It’s showboating, but Hazelight Studios is totally in the right to say, “Look what I can do.”

If I had to pin down one word that best describes Split Fiction, I’d choose ‘showstopper’ as this title never really stops dazzling you with its endless arsenal of tricks. Bypass an optional ‘side story’ and you may miss one of the game’s most impressive set pieces. It’s the ultimate power play to be comfortable with the fact that certain players might overlook this content. That’s a reflection of the quality of what’s on offer here, but I want to stress that Split Fiction also has heaps of substance beyond what you see at a surface level.

Hazelight’s predecessor, It Takes Two, was often criticised for its narrative, but Split Fiction is a real step up. The story is accessible enough that it can be enjoyed by all ages but what’s essentially on offer is a commentary on the various threats faced by the creative arts, from corporate greed to AI. Split Fiction centres around writers Mio and Zoe who become imprisoned within worlds and stories of their own making. While the duo are led to believe that they’re simply being offered the chance, by their publisher, to ‘live’ their stories, it soon becomes clear that the machine they’re hooked up to is designed to steal their ideas instead. It’s up to you to help the duo escape all whilst attempting to put a stop to the greedy Rader Publishing.

You can take a look at Split Fiction’s co-op antics in action below.

Of course, Split Fiction is a co-op title so it’s not one I played alone. I teamed up with GAMINGbible’s Sam Cawley so while I’ve already summarised my own thoughts, it only seems right that this review considers both of our points of view, particularly as I played through the game entirely as Zoe while Sam took on the role of Mio. It’s perhaps an additional testament to Split Fiction’s quality though that we’re almost entirely on the same page.

Kate: Let’s start with gameplay, because I’ve already touched upon the fact that it’s incredibly impressive that you switch mechanics so often, and it’s something that Hazelight pulls off confidently and with ease. Typically, games try to do one thing very well. In a shooter, you’ll have an array of guns but your goal is usually always shooting. Here, you’ll be wielding a melee weapon one minute and be transformed into a dragon the next. To have such mechanics be so fleeting is a real sign of the quality of what’s on offer.

Sam: Yeah, I'd agree with that. And they're all very different. I think the important thing is that they never outstay their welcome because you do inevitably prefer some over others. The dragon mechanic was a standout for me because it demonstrated Hazelight’s ambition. The dragons begin as companions, before you actually assume the role of one yourself. You go from having a very basic deployment option to being able to glide and use brute force to solve puzzles. Split Fiction is constantly building upon the tricks you’ve already got up your sleeve, so it just keeps everything fresh. You never get bored.

Kate: Exactly. There’s one of Zoe’s worlds where each character can transform into two different fantasy-inspired creatures. That means that, between you, you have four unique abilities at your disposal as well as Zoe and Mio’s base abilities - and that’s within a single level of gameplay. It means that approaching puzzles is, like you say, always something that feels exciting and new. You can’t rely on old tricks.

Sam: Hazelight did a good job of keeping things balanced, because obviously you can't swap your abilities. I know you can swap characters if you want to from the start menu but there was never a point where I was jealous of a power you got, because I got pretty cool ones as well. And if, for example, Zoe is tasked with driving a car while Mio shoots, it’s always the opposite way around the next time you end up in a similar encounter. Everyone gets a turn at doing something.

EA

Kate: I was going to bring that up next, the replayability, because Mio and Zoe have completely different powers for the entirety of the game. Players will definitely want to go back and experience things from the opposing perspective. Even if you know how to approach puzzles, you’d be doing so with a new role or accessing an area via a new path. If we’re talking gameplay, then it’s worth addressing boss fights too. Split Fiction’s boss fights are accessible because this is a family-oriented game, so I think that’s worth bearing in mind, but what I appreciated was that each boss fight was based around the mechanics of the level you were in so, again, there’s great variety.

Sam: Yeah, I'd agree with that. I initially was slightly underwhelmed by the bosses but on reflection, I’m less critical. There are some that are more memorable than others, particularly those that really required you to use unique mechanics or teamwork to take them down. There’s one boss fight set in an area where you’re both riding motorcycles whilst shooting that was particularly fun. For the most part, I did have a good time with the bosses, but their multiple phases - even if not particularly difficult - did make some go on a tad too long.

Kate: It’s perhaps worth pointing out that younger players may struggle. Precision is often needed and most boss fights require you to utilise both Mio and Zoe’s mechanics in tandem, so equal weight needs to be pulled.

Sam: But there is an excellent checkpoint system. You’ll only revert to a checkpoint if you both die. If one person is alive, the other respawns after a few seconds. But even if you do both go out, the checkpoints regularly save your progress during boss fights.

Kate: I’ve previously touched on the story; namely to say that it remained accessible while still providing an interesting commentary on things like AI. Is that something you agree with?

Sam: Yeah, I think it was very well done in bringing in those themes, AI and content generation, about without making it the be all and end all. They made a compelling story around those themes rather than just, you know, shoving them in your face and not really doing anything with it. It was very well considered, and that made it more impactful.

EA

Kate: To segue, the interactivity of the world was something that really impressed me. It felt like the game rewarded curiosity, even if that had no impact on progression. If you see something, nine times out of 10, you can interact with it. Can I play that slot machine? Yes. Can I ride the giant snail? Yes to that too. I even slipped over on the goo trail left behind by the snail. I always appreciate details like that, where developers put themselves in the mindset of the player.

Sam: There are plenty of Easter eggs that you can interact with as well which were very well done. These things might not be necessary but they lead to some really nice team bonding moments. For example, there’s a seesaw in one level, and it’s just a little bit of fun to hop on and launch one another into the air.

Kate: Or there’s that instance where one of you could get a wand and cast a spell on the other person, turning them into a chair or frog or something. It adds whimsy - and when the game already delivers so much, these added details are really the cherry on top. Some of the items are, like you said, Easter eggs like the Dark Souls bonfire.

Sam: Hazelight has said that Split Fiction is a celebration of gaming, and it definitely delivers on that front. I feel like there's something that everyone will kind of pick up on and notice, and jumping back to the story’s criticism of AI, Split Fiction is celebrating things that were created by actual people, highlighting the importance of supporting the arts. That’s always lovely to see.

Kate: Any I should stress that so many of our favourite little Easter eggs and gimmicks were found in the optional side stories, all of which were as impressive as the main story content. You really don't want to miss out on them. They let you enter genres you won’t experience elsewhere. In one, for example, we participated in a competitive snowboard competition to see who could get the highest trick shot score by the time we reached the finish line.

Sam: In a way, they’re not optional. You'd be doing yourself a disservice to not check them all out. I don't think we did a single side story that when we finished it, we were like, ‘Oh, well, you know, that wasn't really worth it.’ They all felt very impactful and tied into the story really well, revealing a lot about the characters as well as just being fun.

EA

Kate: And so we arrive at the finale, something that we can’t touch on the specifics of. I’ll say though that Split Fiction’s finale, for me, had the same wow factor as a title like Astro Bot. Consoles are more advanced than they’ve ever been and yet I don’t feel as if we see as much innovation as we should. Split Fiction’s finale challenges our perception of what this generation of consoles is capable of. It attempted something that’s not been done before, and executed it perfectly. A 10 out of 10 game should be groundbreaking in some way, and Split Fiction’s finale was for me.

Sam: Yeah, I think you're right. So many games play it safe, plus there’s the fact that it’s hard to find an idea that hasn’t already been attempted. As someone who's played a lot of games, I can confidently say the finale is something I've never seen before. And we both went in knowing that it was going to be something huge. And it really added to the excitement. We both kept asking ‘What could it be?’ considering the quality and scale of everything we’d seen so far. It was completely unique which just made for a very exciting finale.

As you can see from our conversation, I’m certainly not alone in showering Split Fiction with praise.

Split Fiction has a wow factor that’s surprisingly hard to come by, despite how advanced consoles now are. Hazelight didn’t just set out to make a great game; it’s a great game that dares to push the boundaries of what this generation can be. It’s a triumphant tour de force that aims to be so much, from a commentary on the state of the creative arts to a love letter to gaming, and manages to succeed in every area. I’d even go as far as saying it’s now firmly one of my all-time favourite games, and there’s little praise higher than that.

Pros: Good replayability, vast array of gameplay mechanics, incredible finale, plenty of interactable in-world items

Cons: Younger players may struggle with some puzzles

For fans of: It Takes Two, Astro Bot

10/10: Perfect

Split Fiction launches on 6 March on PlayStation 5 (version tested), Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PC. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.