Hazelight Studios first got on the gaming radar in 2018 with their debut title, A Way Out. The stealthy prison breakout game established Hazelight’s signature thus far: making co-op games that can only be played with two players. Further improvements on the formula were made with their 2021 adventure, It Takes Two, resulting in an experience good enough to be crowned the “Game of the Year” in 2021. Now, Hazelight is back with their third co-op game, Split Fiction, an action-focused affair that pits two authors in a world of their own creation. Ultimately, Split Fiction doesn’t reach the emotional highs of It Takes Two, but it’s every bit as fun and packed with amazing gameplay.
A Simulation of Stories
In Split Fiction, you play as Zoe and Mio, two fiction authors who have yet to break out into the mainstream. Both writers are invited to the technologically advanced Rader Publishing company, run by executive J.D. Rader, who has built a futuristic new machine. According to Rader, the machine takes stories directly from the author’s mind and presents them as playable simulations, but there’s a darker truth below the surface. Zoe and Mio agree to test out the machine in exchange for a publishing deal, but things don’t go according to plan, and the pair become trapped in a single simulation. As the machine wrestles to correct the error, Zoe and Mio are left searching for a way to escape, battling through their personal stories as the main heroes.
Like Hazelight’s past games, Split Fiction is very much a game about the relationship between the two lead characters, and by proxy, the players themselves. A Way Out was ultimately a story of betrayal, It Takes Two was about rekindling fading love, and Split Fiction is all about healing through friendship. At the start of the story, Zoe and Mio are complete strangers and very different people: Zoe is cheery and loves fantasy, while Mio broods with her science fiction. Though starkly different in their outlooks on life, the pair must reconcile their differences and rely on each other if they hope to escape. This gives way to a touching adventure where friendship is formed, and if you’ve got the right co-op partner, you’ll find your relationship strengthening much the same.
The Roller Coaster of Friendship
The story is definitely worth paying attention to, but the best part of Split Fiction is the overwhelming variety of gameplay contained in the roughly 15-hour adventure. At its most basic, it’s a 3D platformer action game, but every single level offers some sort of crazy surprise. As you jump between Zoe’s fantasy and Mio’s sci-fi, you’ll cast magic, drive motorcycles, shoot down robots, skydive, and so much more. The perspective switches frequently as well, with sidescrolling and top-down segments scattered throughout the game. The gameplay is always appropriate for the theme of the story at hand, and it’s truly a roller coaster of an experience, subverting your expectations every step of the way.
Whether you’re dodging lasers, beating bosses, or anything else, you’ll almost always require the help of your co-op partner. For example, an early level gives Mio a samurai sword while Zoe can throw explosives with gravity powers. Puzzles require careful cooperation and good communication between players, while the explosive boss fights will test your ability to adapt during chaos. Luckily, checkpoints are abundant and you’ll never be punished too hard for failing. Split Fiction wants you to have fun more than it wants to challenge your gaming skill, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the game is a cakewalk.
Overall, Split Fiction is another great co-op adventure from Hazelight Studios, who consistently display their creativity through imaginative games with heart. You’ll need a pal to play it with, but thankfully, only one player needs to purchase the game due to the “Friend Pass” feature. There are a few parts of the game that drag a bit, but besides that, it’s an overwhelmingly fun and fast action-adventure that keeps you guessing to the very end. Speaking of which, the finale is one of the best of the generation, with wildly impressive visuals and gameplay. If you are looking for a solid cooperative game to play with a friend, Split Fiction is an easy pick, and one of the best co-op games of 2025 yet.
Split Fiction is available on Steam
Short author bio:
Matt Owen
As a lifelong gamer and overall media fiend, Matt gets his hands on every new game and watches an unhealthy amount of movies and TV: action, horror, mystery, and sci-fi in particular. When not bingeing on entertainment, he enjoys reading and writing short stories, cooking, and producing video and podcast content.