Review: Split Fiction

Hazelight Studios returns with Split Fiction, a bold, imaginative co-op game that pushes the envelope for shared storytelling.

Much like 2021;s Game of the Year It Takes Two, it’s a game that demands and rewards teamwork. Unlike It Takes Two, the concept is even more ambitious—and the result is one of the best couch (or online) co-op experiences available right now.

Split Fiction Gameplay

You and your partner take on the roles of Mio and Zoe, two writers with completely different styles, sci-fi versus fantasy, trapped in a simulation that brings their stories to life. That setup is more than just a backdrop. It directly influences how each level plays out.

Mechanics change constantly, from gravity-defying puzzles to shape-shifting boss battles, which keeps gameplay fresh and exciting, especially for a generation of gamers who might get bored by the repetition of older titles. The industry has come a long way since Pac-Man.

What sets Split Fiction apart is how tightly it’s designed around co-op. You can’t brute-force your way through it on your own. Every obstacle, every puzzle, and every battle needs both players actively engaged. It’s clever, it’s challenging, and it forces you to communicate often.

Like overcooked, it’s the sort of game that will put a strain on your friendship, marriage, interpersonal relationships and any other type of kinship you test with this game. I played it with my real-life player two, my wife Kareema and while we navigated through most of it with smiles, there were some less than amicable sections I’m glad I will not return to.

Visuals

Graphically, Split Fiction is a stunner. Running on Unreal Engine 5, the game mixes dystopian sci-fi environments with magical fantasy backdrops in a way that never feels disjointed. Each world has its own colour palette, tone, and visual effects, and they’re all rich with detail.

Whether you’re leaping through Zoe’s enchanted forests or sprinting through Mio’s neon-slick cityscapes, it’s a visual treat and runs very well in split-screen. We recently had a subpar experience with split-screen on Borderlands 3 so I’m glad this runs so well on a base PS5.

Animations are fluid, character designs are expressive, and the whole experience looks and feels like a high-end animated film. For a mid-priced game, the polish is impressive.

Value for Money

At R949 Split Fiction represents excellent value—especially considering it includes a Friend’s Pass, which lets someone else play with you for free. It’s rare to find a game that lets you experience a full co-op campaign without both players having to own a copy. That alone makes it worth considering if you’re on a budget.

The main campaign takes around 10–12 hours to finish, with a healthy chunk of optional content and some replay value if you want to revisit levels, although it was more one and done for us. We haven’t replayed any co-op game yet, except Borderlands 2, but that for me is peak co-op (not even the mighty Gears of War got a second replay from us in co-op mode).