Split Fiction
Release Date: March 6, 2025
Action, TPP, fantasy, science fiction, for 2 players, co-op, action adventure, splitscreen, multiplayer, internet
A third-person action adventure game from Hazelight studio - authors of A Way Out and It Takes Two. Split Fiction is all about cooperation between two players (only 1 copy of the game is needed). They can play as female writers who got stuck in fantasy and sci-fi worlds from their stories.
Split Fiction is an action-adventure game designed exclusively for co-op play. It was created by Hazelight studio and it previously delivered projects based on a similar concept - they were A Way Out and It Takes Two.
Story
The main characters of Split Fiction are Mio and Zoe. Although both are writers, one is a science fiction author, while the other's works represent the fantasy genre. When the protagonists are connected to a machine designed to steal their ideas, the women unexpectedly become trapped in the worlds of their own stories. From now on, they have no choice but to start cooperating in order to regain their freedom and keep the contents of their heads to themselves.
Gameplay and coop
In Split Fiction we watch the action from a third-person perspective (TPP). The entire gameplay is built around the co-op mode, and the screen is always divided into two parts – even when we are not playing with another person locally, but over the Internet.
The adventure leads us through locations taken straight from the creations of the main characters. While exploring them, we mainly face logical and dexterity challenges, in which the key to success is cooperation with another person.
Apart from solving puzzles, the game allows us to train small dragons, escape from trolls or avoid cars thrown at us by a parking-robot, as well as participate in a dance duel, in which we challenge a certain monkey.
Friend's Pass
As was the case in the previous works of Hazelight studio, Split Fiction can be played if only one of the players owns a copy of the game. The so-called Friend's Pass allows to invite any friend to play the game for free. The whole system supports cross-platform mode, ensuring that players from different platforms can also play together.
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Split Fiction Review: Hazelight does it again
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Videos and Screens
[1:22] Split Fiction - Friend Edition Unboxing Trailer (Josef Fares)
[0:35] Split Fiction - Friend's Pass Overview Trailer
Gamepressure Review
Split Fiction
Split Fiction is another jewel in Hazelight Studio’s ever-growing crown of co-op adventures. This game constantly introduces new mechanics that keep the gameplay fresh, and each new story feels unique, despite continually returning to the same two genres. There are random difficulty spikes that can easily trip up inexperienced players and lead to frustration, but this was some of the most fast-paced, light-hearted fun I’ve had in a long time.
OpenCritic Rating
Game is Recomended by 99% of Critics. There are 130 Critic Reviews.
NextPlay: 9.5 / 10 by Brad Goodwin
Hazelight Studios elevates the benchmark for cooperative games, excelling at level design, story concepts, and admirable technical achievements. Split Fiction is the best co-op game on the market, an experience that will create core memories to share with family or friends.
Press Start: 9.5 / 10
Split Fiction is a masterclass of game design, and is yet another instant classic from a team who have, across a span of three games, rewritten the handbook on how to develop fun and insanely inventive stories that'll be remembered for one thing, among others: spotlighting the power of friendship.
Expansive: 5 / 5 by Laurie Jones
Split Fiction may just be the finest co-operative video game ever made. It’s local co-op is seamless and rarely struggles through slowdown. It’s online service is generous, supporting friends to play together with just one copy between them, and its challenges, puzzles, action and creativity is thriving and in abundance. While there’s no scope for a singleplayer to tag up with the computer or to jump in a lobby with a random, Split Fiction gives you all the tools you need to play and proves to be the most worthwhile enjoyable ride so far in 2025. This is one we’ll be talking about for years to come for the powerful messages it sends and truly is the standard bearer of what a co-operative adventure with friends and family should look like.
The main pros of the game
- Co-op Experience: Players highlight the game's strong emphasis on cooperative gameplay, making it a fantastic experience for friends and couples. The Friend's Pass feature allows one player to play for free, enhancing accessibility.
- Creative Gameplay: The game is praised for its variety of gameplay mechanics and level design, keeping the experience fresh and engaging. Users appreciate the incorporation of different genres and mini-games throughout the adventure.
- Visual and Audio Quality: The graphics and sound design receive high praise, with many describing the visuals as stunning and the audio as immersive.
- Engaging Story: Many players find the story to be captivating, with emotional depth and humor that resonates well, creating a memorable narrative experience.
- No Microtransactions: The absence of microtransactions and a fair price point are frequently mentioned as significant positives, contributing to a feeling of value for the players.
The main cons of the game
- Short Length: Some users express disappointment with the game's length, noting that it can be completed relatively quickly (around 10-20 hours), leaving them wanting more.
- Minor Technical Issues: A few players reported minor bugs or glitches, such as desynchronization during gameplay. However, these issues seem to be infrequent and easily resolved.
- Story Depth: While many enjoyed the story, a few critiques mentioned that it might not be as powerful or innovative as its predecessor, "It Takes Two."
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Localization: Some users noted the lack of Ukrainian localization, which could limit accessibility for certain players.
- Inverted Controls: A few players mentioned the absence of an option for inverted controls, particularly during flight segments, which could affect gameplay for those who prefer this setting.
- DLSS Support: Some reviews mentioned that the game does not currently support DLSS, which could enhance performance on lower-end systems.
Summary
- Overall, "Split Fiction" is celebrated as a standout co-op game that excels in creativity, visual appeal, and cooperative mechanics, despite some minor criticisms regarding its length and technical aspects.
Summary generated on:
Split Fiction Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
Developer: Hazelight
Publisher: Electronic Arts Inc.
Age restrictions: 12+
Split Fiction System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: (1080p, 30 fps) Intel Core i5-6600K / AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 970 / Radeon RX 470, 85 GB HDD, Windows 10/11 64-bit
Recommended: (1440p, 60 fps) Intel Core i7-11700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 8 GB GeForce RTX 3070 / 12 GB Radeon RX 6700 XT, 85 GB HDD, Windows 10/11 64-bit
Split Fiction reaches big milestone faster than KCD2. The game kicked off a stunning score on Steam
The co-op game Split Fiction has achieved an excellent result in the number of copies sold.
video games
Maciej Gaffke
March 14, 2025
Split Fiction on PS4 and Xbox One Explained
Split Fiction has attracted considerable interest, even among players with PS4 and Xbox One. Will the game come out for these consoles as well? You can find out in our article.
How to
Dawid Lubczynski
March 10, 2025
Do you need to be always online in Split Fiction? Not necessarily
Despite the fact that Split Fiction is a coop game, it does not mean that it has to be always online. There is a way to play without internet connection.
How to
Aleksander Kartasinski
March 10, 2025
Looking for Split Fiction on Switch? There is a chance
Co-op action adventure game Split Fiction was released on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S yesterday. So, what about Switch ports?
How to
Agnes Adamus
March 7, 2025
Players are looking for DLSS in Split Fiction. Is this feature necessary?
Split Fiction has been released and many fans already enjoy the journey. However, some have found that it is missing DLSS functionality. Do we even need it, though? Let's see what's going on.
How to
Aleksander Kartasinski
March 7, 2025
Hype for Split Fiction drove players to play It Takes Two
Leading up to today's release of Split Fiction, the excitement for another co-op adventure appears to have driven players to Hazelight's previous game.
video games
Matt Buckley
March 6, 2025
Error while downloading Split Fiction Friend's Pass. There was a problem adding this product to your Steam account
Some players are reporting issues with downloading Split Fiction. It seems that the error is only on Steam.
How to
Damian Gacek
March 6, 2025
Crossplay in Split Fiction? Let’s talk about PS5, PC and Xbox compatibility
Split Fiction is a co-op game, and nothing is as much fun as going through it together with a friend. However, what if they play on a different platform? Learn more about crossplay in our article.
How to
Dawid Lubczynski
March 6, 2025
Top co-op dev open to returning to single-player experiences. Josef Fares reveals new details of Split Fiction
Josef Fares shared new information about the highly anticipated Split Fiction and revealed that he may develop a single-player game again in the future.
video games
Adrian Werner
February 28, 2025
Split Fiction's Friend's Pass will now be cross-platform
Friend's Pass was a popular feature of It Takes Two. It allowed for co-op, even if one player didn't own the game. Split Fiction will take it cross-platform.
video games
Matt Buckley
February 21, 2025