Split Fiction review: A breathtaking game for two

It’s been four years since developer Hazelight Studios knocked out one of the best co-op adventures in years, It Takes Two.

Now, the Swedish studio's latest game, Split Fiction, sticks to what has worked in the past — making another game that's exclusively playable by two people – no more, no less. The result: a must-play banger that will be on everyone’s minds when they think about the best releases of 2025.

Split Fiction follows two unpublished aspiring writers, Zoe (voiced by Elsie Bennet) and Mio (Kaja Chan) in their desperate pursuit of publication. It doesn’t take long before it becomes clear that the giant corporation doing weird experiments isn’t very friendly (who would have guessed?), and things quickly go wrong. This leaves the protagonists locked in a simulation of their own stories, only able to rely on the stranger they’re trapped with for aid.

The simulation is an amalgamation of both their story ideas, with their source of inspiration often at odds, thanks to Zoe writing about fantasy and Mio preferring sci-fi. What transpires over the next 10 or so hours is a genre-hopping mash-up that’s a joy to play.

We've been hooked on the game for some time now — here’s 5 reasons why Split Fiction is one of the must-play games of 2025 so far...

1. Variety is the spice of life

Once the action in Split Fiction gets going, it only slows for emotional beats and the odd bit of humour, with the rest of the game a breakneck adventure that constantly keeps you on your toes. As you progress, you bounce through different chapters set in either fantasy or sci-fi stories, with each one having some side quests to drop into, too.

The side stories are as experimental as they are charming, also displaying the studio's creative aptitude with moments that will live long in the memory for how they stand out visually. In contrast, thanks to the absurdity on display, some sections won't leave you; with a pig that shoots rainbows out its rear end feeling particularly indelible.

Each story is unique, feeling standalone but feeding into the broader narrative of Mio and Zoe getting to know each other while their interests and personalities are at odds. This means you are slowly drip-fed a great deal of information through the stories the protagonists have written. Themes of debt, childhood, and more are interwoven, never feeling out of place and constantly feeling justified.

2. A surprising challenge

For many, It Takes Two was a perfect introduction to gaming, acting as a jumping-on point to show children, partners and pals the beauty of the medium. Split Fiction isn’t that. It’s still a grand experience to be cherished with another, but it’s considerably more challenging than anything Hazelight Studios has made in the past.

The platforming is more demanding, the puzzles are more cerebral, and the bosses will win if you switch off for even a second. You’ll have to rely on everything you’ve experienced in games from the past, and hope your reflexes are still up to scratch to help manoeuvre through some more involved sections – it was a healthy lesson to show me how my reflexes are deciding to leave me behind.

It’s not as challenging as Dark Souls or Cuphead, but it’s a significant ramp-up from It Takes Two and one that caught me off guard at first. Undoubtedly, this will be a challenge for anyone who used It Takes Two as an entry point into playing games.

3. Budding friendships and vulnerability

Getting to know both characters, the stories they’ve written, and the lives they’ve lived is fulfilling. Zoe and Mio are engaging protagonists, so you won’t be short-changed regardless of who you play as – although I prefer Mio whom I played as during my playthrough. Both have unique abilities, too, so there is plenty of replayability, but the story will remain the same.

Despite how enjoyable the two characters are and how real their personalities feel—consistently fleshed out as you get to know them better—the emotional moments aren’t delivered as effectively as in It Takes Two, which has plenty of hard-hitting emotional beats as it tackles the themes of divorce.

Instead, Split Fiction has more comical sensibilities that will induce a chuckle and keep you smiling, even when you’ve just been squashed by a giant bassline junkie called Mr. Hammer.

That’s not to say there aren’t some heavy moments, which are well-supported by the quality of the performances, but Split Fiction is not as comfortable in those moments as it is in more humorous ones.

Mio and Zoe's relationship feels real and believable, growing organically as they graduate from frosty strangers to good pals. Unfortunately, thanks to the above-mentioned challenge, you and whoever you play with may have the opposite journey.

4. There are no bad ideas

You will need to jump, swing, fly and puzzle through the different chapters as the world changes and your abilities adapt to complement the whacky locations. In each section, you and your counterpart have unique skills that will complement each other to solve any obstacles that come your way. One moment, you’ll be able to shape-shift into an animal to solve environmental puzzles before racing around on a jet pack, causing terror from above with a shooter in hand.

The tools leave as quickly as they come, with none feeling out of place and consistently fresh. At no point does anything outstay its welcome, and thanks to the medley of gameplay styles on offer, it’s hard to describe Split Fiction as anything other than innovative.

Even the shorter side stories, which might only last 15 minutes, offer moments and gameplay you’ll find at no other point throughout the story. There’s also plenty of opportunity to be a menace and muck about, with many of your weapons or tools able to damage your gaming partner – it’s nothing short of frustrating when you’re on your way to herd some cats and you get turned into a chair whilst on your travels.

5. Quality and precision reign supreme

Helping all of the above stand out is just how well-designed and polished it all is. Few games are as rammed full of ideas as Split Fiction, but somehow, it lands all of them with a surprising amount of quality – after all, even Celebrations has the Bounty in there weighing down the rest of the treats.

Not only do the ideas feel fleshed out, but they also work perfectly – whether it’s a section that is 2D and hand-drawn or a frenetic chase through a neon-lit cyberpunk city, it delivers. Never missing a beat in the process, with no game crashes or bugs at all.

Most importantly, the platforming feels incredibly slick, as does every other activity, so when the challenge does rise and failure ensues, the only place fault can be found is with the person holding the controller.

Split Fiction is so ambitious that without this kind of polish, it wouldn’t be able to function; fortunately, it delivers time and again, showcasing immense quality throughout.

Split Fiction review: Final verdict

Few developers produce anything close to this, especially considering that split-screen is dying in favour of massive online multiplayer games. The Friend Pass makes the whole situation even more exciting, meaning if you pick up the game and want to play it online with a buddy, you’ll have a spare copy to hand over… free of charge.

So if you can’t get in the same room as the person you want to play with, there’s no excuse, thanks to a consumer-friendly decision that feels increasingly novel in today's world.

If you couldn’t already tell, Split Fiction is a fantastical escapade for two you must play. So stop reading. Text ya pal. Let them know it’s time to get the gang back together. Whack Split Fiction on download. Nip down to bossman for some delicious treats. Then, all that’s left is to enjoy this top-tier spectacle that will only leave you wanting more – just try not to fall out in the process.

If you're looking for more to play, check out what were the best releases of 2024.

Split Fiction was reviewed on the PS5.