Twinsane
Split Fiction is the latest co-op adventure behind the clever minds at Hazelight Studios. After winning Game of the Year in 2021 with their previous masterpiece It Takes Two, I was unaware of their portfolio but after delving into It Takes Two myself last year with my partner as something to play one evening we was blown away and had the most fun in a long time and lets say less arguments was had as to playing Overcooked.
The story of Split Fiction follows two unsuccessful writers Zoe and Mio who arrive at giant publishing company in the hopes of getting their stories published. The opening segment really shows the split personalities of the characters as Zoe attempts to make small talk with Mio in an elevator who instantly shuts her down, as they arrive they are greeted by the CEO who looks less than trustworthy and as most of the writers their including Zoe are too happy to encase themselves in giant bubbles and have their stories extracted, Zoe however knows something is off and gets into a small kerfuffle with said CEO but ends up in Zoe’s bubble where she ends up trapped in Zoe’s mind and ultimately have to work together in order to escape and stop having their memories stolen.
Zoe who is very happy-go-lucky at first believes everything is hunky-dory but Mio convinces her that the publishing company are willing to steal all their ideas and needs to be stopped. After a bit of convincing Zoe agrees and the adventure begins. Zoe is a hardcore fantasy fan and Mio likes to write science fiction and everything in her world is futuristic and the premise of the game consists of playable levels that alternate between these two genres. The split personalities is what makes the writing good here. The idea of characters being in a virtual world is nothing new however Hazelight have managed to capture the essence of two very different characters. Zoe is a character who rarely complains and in the opening segment of the game seems to not mind at all being a part of Mio’s high tech worlds and Mio likes to brag about her stories and see them as badass which let’s be honest they are! but dismisses Zoe’s fantasy ideas and worlds as both boring and Cliché.
Split Fictions world is breath taking and graphically it is impressive but not surprising as it is Hazelight Studios first foray into being a next-gen only title and it shows. The game much like previous games takes place on one screen where it is split between the two players, being a co-op game you can invite a friend to the game by either local or online but this is not a game where you have a lobby and wait for other players so you need to have a friend who you can convince to play, which should not be difficult at all. The game for the most part plays in split screen for the gameplay elements but for the moments when character interactions happen the screen is seen as a singular screen and is so expertly done you don’t even notice.
The game looks stunning on PS5 and the controls are fluid, the game is not difficult but there may be some instances where you will mess up on a particular jump or carelessly forgetting to move. These are part and parcel of Split Fiction. If you are at all familiar with It Takes Two then the game will certainly feel comforting in its controls, the game features a Run, Jump, Double Jump and Air Dash and and boasts even more manoeuvrability options in later worlds.
The best thing about Split Fiction is the game takes inspiration not only from their past ideas but many different genres of games. It has you platforming across hazards, shooting down obstacles, close combat, stealth segments and driving at high speed through giant skyscrapers. Split Fiction has it, all and the best thing is these are incorporated in a way that keeps the game fresh throughout, even if an idea has been seen before Hazelight have made it feel so unique in execution.
There have been many occasions where we have appeared stumped by a certain obstacle or puzzle but after a bit of experimentation and co-operation the game has moved forward quickly, Split Fiction is a game that never really feels slow and you’re always making progress, the game never really feels punishing and is fair throughout, although Zoe’s fantasy worlds tend to be more on the puzzle side and slower paced compare to Mio’s fast paced futuristic worlds. This kind of made me feel a bias towards enjoying Mio’s worlds much more because when I was wall jumping, gravity shifting and shooting down giant robots and zooming around on a high speed motorcycle it was the most fun I had playing Split Fiction. This is not to say Zoe’s worlds were bad they were put in at a good point in a game as a means of storytelling which Zoe likes to explain her stories and the reasoning behind them much to Mio’s dismay. This was a great way for the creators to tell the story and again really shows the difference in personalities of both characters and eventually seeing Mio warm up to Zoe’s bizarre stories is certainly heart-warming.
Split Fiction is a masterpiece not only in Storytelling and Gameplay but in taking some of the most cliché story segments and making them their own. Each area never feels like it goes on for too long and before you know it you’re experiencing something new and unique. Scattered throughout are optional stories which from a story perspective are Zoe’s and Mio’s older stories where they started writing but never really finished and allows for some hilarious experiences and are highly recommended. The boss battles are some of the most fun experiences I have had in a video game ever and incorporating different gameplay elements and phases was such a good move by Hazelight Studios.
Split Fiction has it all, want to grapple a portaloo whilst your friend is inside into the oncoming cyber traffic, or much about in mud as a rainbow farting and a slinky pig? Well you can for fun of course but the best way to experience Split Fiction is for yourself and a friend, or as many as you can, Hazelight Studios also has to be commended on the fact that the game is fully Cross-Platform and has a friends pass that allows you to experience the game with someone else even if they do not own the game. This makes the game highly accessible and it is certainly one not to be missed.
A PlayStation 5 Review code was provided by Electronic Arts
