AfterIt Takes Twowon numerous awards in 2021, includingGame of the Year at The Game Awards, few would have blamed developer Hazelight Studios if it had turned that game into a franchise and begun work on sequels. But that’s not what Hazelight is all about. Instead, the studio pushed itself further in the cooperative space, once again delivering something new. That something new isSplit Fiction, a game that meshes science fiction with fantasy in a way that only Hazelight can. We played a few hours of the game and are happy to report that this is another excellent genre-bending and varied experience.
Thefirst time we playedSplit Fictionat the end of 2024, director Josef Fares cherry-picked a few small sequences from the game. It was a rapid-fire montage rather than a concise preview, but we were still impressed with the studio’s ambition. This time around, the preview was more focused, but there was still a fair bit of jumping around. In between select sequences of the game, the screen would show some text explaining that it was either sending me and my cooperative partner to a new level or further along in our current level. Presumably, this was done to keep the focus on the absurd diversity on display inSplit Fiction, while also keeping its narrative secret.
Split Fiction is Meta Commentary With Heart
Split Fiction’s story centers on Zoe and Mio, two writers with their own specialties. Zoe prefers fantasy, while Mio likes science fiction. Both are hired to work at a game developer that utilizes advanced technology to bring its creative’s work to life. That tech is only meant to support one writer at a time, but Zoe and Mio end up in the same world, which gives them access to both sci-fi and fantasy stories. In a broader sense, Zoe’s fantasy world and Mio’s science fiction one are independent of each other - inspired by their work and ideas from childhood on to the present - but there are opportunities for the two genres to collide as well.
Much likeIt Takes Twoexplored the dissolution of a marriage and the bond that forms over a shared experience,Split Fictionappears to bring Zoe and Mio togetheras they explore their respective genre stories. There are hints of the larger narrative, but those are not worth spoiling. Hazelight Studios clearly wants to let players experience the story for themselves, and as a result, has kept the focus on gameplay.
Split Fiction Constantly Mixes Up and Evolves Gameplay
While you could just list off all the different gameplay experiences and mechanics that were available in the 3-hourSplit Fictionpreview, that still feels like only a small slice of the larger pie. Suffice it to say that Hazelight is pushing itself to offer a diversity that is unheard of outside of the Stockholm-based studio, taking months to design a section that players will complete in minutes.
In the science fiction world, some sections had Zoe brandishing a laser whip and Mio using a neon-tinged katana, but even that is just the tip of the iceberg. Each character’s “kit” is only the foundation from which Hazelight continues to expand the level’s mechanics, starting first with simple traversal concepts like Mio throwing the sword to manipulate gravity and walk on walls/ceilings while Zoe uses her whip to throw objects and open doorways. But after getting briefly acquainted with the foundations of those concepts, the duo is then jumping along speeding hover cars, destroying enemy helicopters, and trying to survive amidst the chaos.
On the fantasy side,Hazelight knew that there needed to be dragons, so there is a full section of the game dedicated to weening dragons from babies up to full-sized beasts. In our preview, we dropped into a sequence where the dragons are decent-sized (you’re able to ride them) but not yet full-sized. At this point in their development, Mio’s dragon could spit acid and hover while Zoe’s could roll and ram objects. The two needed to work together to complete a series of puzzles that would power up a statue, presumably to both progress and upgrade their dragons. So, while Zoe used her dragon to move a ball, for example, Mio needed to use the dragon’s acid to activate platforms for the ball to roll on.
Another sequence in the fantasy world had Zoe and Mio able to shapeshift into two different beasts. One was more nimble, while another was big and lumbering. For Zoe, the smaller creature was a fairy that could jump in the air for as long as her fairy dust “power” lasts, like a frog leaping along a pond. Mio, on the other hand, could turn into an elegant sea creature and glide through the water. But just by pulling the trigger, the two writers could shapeshift back into their human form, and then another press would turn them into large fantastical creatures – Zoe a Groot-like anthropomorphic tree, and Mio a gorilla-like beast with blue fur. Just one transformation would have been enough to support a lot of fun gameplay in this sequence, but giving each player two transformations is emblematic of how Hazelight operates. They want to go a little further than you can imagine.
There’s a genuine sense of progression in the way the mechanics of each level/section evolve. At first, you are merely learning what tools are at your disposal, but the game quickly offers new ways to surprise you by adding just a simple wrinkle to the gameplay. In the shapeshifting fantasy section, for example, you start out learning how each creature’s form assists with traversal, but eventually, you and your partner need to execute precise jumps and movements to help one another progress.
WhereIt Takes Twohad mini-gamesfor players to test their skills against each other,Split Fictionhas a more narrative-focused bent to its diversions. Dubbed side stories, these optional content offerings appear to run the gamut of experience, as if the game wasn’t varied enough. There were two we saw during the preview, one cooperative and one competitive. The first featured Zoe and Mio as pigs with unique and hilarious powers that assist with some light platforming and puzzle-solving. While the other was a score-based snowboarding excursion where the goal was to rack up as many points by chaining together tricks and grinds.
Side stories are completely optional inSplit Fictionbut Hazelight hopes that players seek them out. Based on the two I played, these are well worth seeking out. If you’ve seen any of the Split Fiction trailers, you have some hints, but the pig side story goes to some very interesting places by the end.
Split Fiction Preview: Final Thoughts
No one is doing what Hazelight is doing right now, and that’s what makes each of the studio’s releases so exciting. The collaborative nature of its games - which simultaneously challenge you to work together and impress you with beautiful levels and dynamic gameplay - makes you laugh, cheer, and yell, and leaves a strong lasting impression. The sheer ambition that it takes to deliver something that surprises so consistently, without feeling one-note, is whereSplit Fictionstands out above all else. Even just three hours with the game were enough toshowcase a dozen different gameplay experiences, and that was just controlling one character. From a technical side, there is a wizardry on display that is astounding – having two completely different screens rendered right in front of you. The game is gorgeous to look at as well, with the science fiction and fantasy worlds offering some tremendous sights.
There is obviously still the question of how the narrative wraps it all together, but based purely on the gameplay,Split Fictionis on pace to be another massive hit for Hazelight. It’s such a delight to get to experience Josef Fares and the team’s work, because you know that they are always looking to entertain and surprise with mechanics that are refined yet endlessly creative. There may be some studios looking to emulate what they do, butSplit Fictionproves that no one offers cooperative fun on the level that Hazelight does.
Split Fictionreleases May 14, 2025 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Game Rant was provided lodging for this preview.
