Split Fiction

Every four years, Josef Fares seems to suddenly appear with a new, bright game, and Split Fiction is no exception. This is another exciting adventure that takes about 12 hours, and during this time the player is treated to intense, spectacular gameplay. After It Takes Two triumphantly took the title of “game of the year” at The Game Awards, the natural question arises – will Fares’ new work be able to repeat this success? We will tell you all about it in our review.

Split Fiction Free Steam Account

When I first heard about Split Fiction and watched the trailer, I wasn’t particularly excited. It seemed like something strange, too different from my beloved It Takes Two. The visual style is an acquired taste, and the idea seemed questionable. But then I remembered: the guy behind the project is Youssef Fares. And he, as we know, doesn’t make bad games.

And then the game comes out — and everything changes. My friend and I were stuck in it for about 12 hours, maybe even 15. We yelled at each other, laughed, freaked out, but continued to play episode after episode. This is not just another “co-op”. Split Fiction is like someone took all our childhood dreams of video games, seasoned them with a dose of madness and gave us a cocktail that you can’t tear yourself away from. 250 thousand players online at the peak, 98% positive reviews on Steam, dozens of laudatory reviews on Metacritic — Split Fiction burst into 2025 like a real storm.

Hazelight Studios, under the leadership of the restless Fares, once again reminded everyone that co-op is not just a mode, it is a whole philosophy. You can’t play alone here. This is a test for your friendship, your nerves and, of course, for the gamepad, which sometimes you want to throw against the wall.

I completed this game, survived and now I am ready to tell you why Split Fiction is both brilliant and insanely tiring at the same time.

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Split Fiction – The Best 2 Player Co-op Game in 2025?

If It Takes Two was a heartfelt co-op adventure about a relationship crisis, then Split Fiction is a full-fledged action marathon for two, where either absolute synchronicity will be born, or you will both leave the game angry, but laughing. Here, it is not just important to play together – it is a necessity. One cannot cope. Never. It is as if Hazelight Studios took their previous formula “either play together or don’t play at all” and squeezed every last drop out of it. Split Fiction is built on confrontation – but not between players, but between two completely different worlds. On one side is Zoe’s magical, fairy-tale reality. On the other is cold, futuristic sci-fi, where technology rules, and Mio is responsible for everything. They are so different that sometimes it seems as if you are playing two games at once, just alternately.

Each level in this game is not just a different location. It is a different approach. Different mechanics. Different logic. Today you fly on a dragon, dodging fireballs, and tomorrow you synchronize the movement of platforms in zero gravity. You can’t relax and get used to it – everything is constantly changing. And that’s great. The split screen has become not just a tribute to the genre – it is the main tool of game design. You literally see how your partner lives in his world, solves his problems, but everything he does directly affects your progress. This is not about “playing next to” – it is about “playing together”. There are moments where one of you must jump into the abyss, hoping that the other will move the platform in time. Otherwise – death. Many times. Very many times.

A special thrill is added by the feeling that you and your partner are going through an interactive series, where each episode is in a new genre. There is comedy, drama, pure sci-fi, fantasy, and even a bit of horror with giant creatures that you need to run away from, fighting them off on the move. One of the levels turned out to be especially memorable. We found ourselves in a zone with altered gravity. I controlled the force of gravity, and my friend had to jump from platform to platform in complete silence and precision. One wrong step – and everything starts over again. And then we switched places, and it became doubly difficult – because I knew that he now depended on me.

But there are also moments for rest – levels where you can just run, experiment and have fun. These are such “editable” zones, filled with stupid and very funny activities:

• witchcraft and spells with unpredictable effects,
• brewing potions that suddenly turn the hero into a chicken,
• riding giant snails,
• flying on steampunk-style hot air balloons,
• mini-games with physics, where laughter is the main result.

We actually spent about fifteen minutes there, not because we had to, but because we couldn’t tear ourselves away. It’s like a game within a game – just for fun.

The gameplay is constantly surprising. You never know what will happen next. Will it be a dynamic platformer, a mind-blowing puzzle, a race against time, or something completely absurd, like controlling two teleporters through which you need to synchronously throw objects. There are episodes where you need to shoot from cannons, there are those where you participate in fights with bosses, and each boss requires a unique approach. But all this only works under one condition – if you play together. The game is not about “being there”, it is about cooperation. And real, with mistakes, screams, laughter and restarts. Some episodes forced us to replay 5-6 times, because literally one second of inconsistency – and the whole scene is ruined.

The difficulty here is higher than in It Takes Two. Not in all moments, but noticeably. If you play with a person who is not used to quick reactions and platformers, it will be difficult. But even mistakes bring joy – because it all feels like part of a big adventure. Switch roles? Definitely. This way the game opens up from a different side. Each character has their own route, their own tasks, and they are not just mirrored – they are really different. It’s like a second game inside the same story. And if you want even more – welcome to the secret side quests hidden in the “bubbles”. Not completing them is a crime.

There are completely different locations, different visuals, a different atmosphere. Sometimes these are real arcade levels, sometimes – humorous scenes, sometimes – something strange but charming. And all of them add volume to the main story, expand the universe and simply give more fun time.

Is Split Fiction a worthy competitor to It Takes Two or not?

When we launched Split Fiction, I was hoping for something like It Takes Two — with the same emotions, drama, and heart-wrenching moments. But, alas, it turned out differently. The main characters here are Zoe, a fantasy author, and Mio, a sci-fi fan. Fate throws them into the worlds of their own works, where they must not only escape, but also fight the idea that their creativity no longer belongs to them — it is being stolen, appropriated, or simply recycled by machines. Against the backdrop of AI increasingly interfering in creative industries, it sounds damn relevant. And yes, it could have squeezed powerful drama out of this. But it didn’t work out.

The story follows a familiar route from the very first minutes. Stuck together — which means we will learn to work as a team, overcome doubts, believe in ourselves, and prove that our art matters. The dialogues are sometimes enjoyable — there are references to old-school games, modern memes, and even touching Easter eggs related to Fares’ previous projects (yes, the elephant from It Takes Two is back, albeit not in a direct form). But this game failed to reach the level of It Takes Two, where emotional swings follow one after another. The plot rather plays the role of decoration: it glues everything that happens together, but does not grab. There is not enough spiritual depth, surprises, a real “wow” effect.

Sometimes it seems that the game wants to seem smarter than it is. The theme of AI, theft of ideas, copyright — all this could have turned into satire, a blow to the heart. But instead — a set of typical phrases: “You are stronger than you seem”, “You mean something”. And it seems good, but too much according to the template. Zoey and Mio are nice in themselves. One is a high-flown idealist, the other is a sarcastic realist. They complement each other well, and it is interesting to watch their conversations. But even this tandem does not pull the story into the category of memorable ones.

If you expect deep emotions or philosophy from Split Fiction, this is not the place. But as a reason to spend an evening in a co-op, it is just right. The game constantly keeps you on your toes while you jump from one fictional world to another. In short, the plot here is not a disaster, but it is not the main reason to launch the game. It is just there. Like a side dish that is unlikely to spoil the dish, but will not be remembered either.

Graphics and sound in Split Fiction are the game’s strong points

Split Fiction is not just a lively action game, but a real feast for the eyes and ears. From the very beginning, the game immerses you in Zoe’s magical universe: dense forests, sunsets the color of molten gold, fairy-tale animals and dragons cutting through the sky. It seems that you are about to press the screenshot button – and so every minute. But before you have time to look around, you find yourself in the world of Mio – this is pure science fiction: the lights of neon megacities, mirrored skyscrapers, flying cars and lasers everywhere. The contrast is crazy, but it looks insanely stylish.

The main thing is that the transitions between worlds do not tear the atmosphere. There is no feeling that you have jumped into another game. Everything is done smoothly and organically. The graphics here do not try to chase photorealism at the level of Cyberpunk 2077 – and rightly so. It is more about style, not about pixels. And this style works: even if you notice some rough spots, they don’t bother you at all. The visuals are presented through the prism of cartoon aesthetics, but thanks to Unreal Engine 5, everything looks juicy and lively. Yes, the developers deliberately abandoned ray tracing and Lumen lighting for the sake of stable performance — and they were right.

On a technical level, the game is doing well. On PS5 — a stable 60 FPS without sagging, even when the screen is filled with explosions, magic, and crowds of enemies. On PC, the situation is the same: smooth and clear. Effects like gravity tricks or glowing portals add real magic to what’s happening — the feeling that you’re not just playing, but that you’re in the center of this crazy world. The audio component didn’t disappoint. The soundtrack clearly divides the worlds: in fantasy — epic orchestrations, in sci-fi — cheerful synthwave. Every roar of a dragon, screech of a laser or stomping of enemies enhances the atmosphere. The voice acting of the heroines is also pleasing: Zoe sounds noble and inspiring, and Mio – with irony and character, sometimes you just want to wink at her in response. In short, the visuals and sound, although not in the foreground, work as ideal companions to the gameplay – they support, enhance, and definitely do not let you get bored.

Is Split Fiction Worth Playing? An Honest Analysis of the Pros and Cons

If games could be compared to adventures, then Split Fiction is like a ride with your best friend on a crazy roller coaster. At some points you squeal with delight, at others you swear “never again”, and at the end you look at each other with a smile and understand: that was damn cool. Hazelight Studios is doing what they do perfectly again – they are creating a game that cannot be completed alone. Split Fiction is built entirely on co-op. In over 12 hours, you and your partner will go through everything: dark caves with trolls, battles with robots, hovercar races, shark attacks, skirmishes in the forests and neon duels. And none of these episodes seem superfluous – each level feels like a separate mini-adventure, filled with unexpected mechanics and visual surprises.

You can’t call the game simple – the entry threshold is noticeable. Especially if you and your friend aren’t really in sync: in some places, Split Fiction requires real coordination, the ability to listen and help. But that’s what makes it unique: when you do synchronize and catch the general rhythm, the sensations are comparable to a real high. It’s like playing a perfect solo in a duet, only on gamepads. The mechanics in the game are constantly changing. As soon as you get used to one task, the game throws up something new. One minute you’re riding a dragon, and a couple of minutes later you’re participating in a cyberpunk duel or controlling a mechanism as if you were in Star Wars. You’re not allowed to get bored at all – Split Fiction constantly pushes you to interact, to improvise, to make joint decisions.

The graphics are pleasing to the eye: bright worlds, smooth animations, a solid 60 FPS – everything works clearly and looks great. Visually, the game is diverse: there are fantasy forests, castles, and futuristic cities with neon lights. The work with light and color is especially impressive – each location feels “alive”. The music deserves a special mention. The soundtrack adapts to the pace of the game – it either gets your pulse racing or creates the right mood. In some places, you just want to stop and listen to how this game chaos sounds.

Now about the fly in the ointment – the plot. The story of two heroines, Zoe and Mio, who fight against plagiarism and theft of ideas in a fictional universe, began with potential. It seemed like this was it – an opportunity to reveal a serious topic in an unusual format. But in the end, it turned out to be rather superficial: the plot is predictable, the development of the characters is schematic, and the ending, although warm, does not give you goosebumps. This is not a failure, but not a story that you will retell to your friends. However, this is forgivable – the game takes others.

Pros:

• Amazing variety of gameplay – each level is surprising
• A real cooperative – interaction is not for show, but really important
• Strong audio-visual design: picture, sound, atmosphere

Cons:

• The plot did not live up to its potential – simple and a bit formulaic
• It will be difficult for beginners, especially without a well-played partner

Split Fiction isn’t just a good game. It’s an event. If you have a friend who doesn’t mind spending a few evenings on a truly lively and intense adventure, don’t hesitate. This is one of the best co-ops of recent times.

Split Fiction System Requirements

How to play Split Fiction for free on Steam via VpeSports

Have you always dreamed of plunging into the mysterious and tense world of Split Fiction, but don’t want to spend money on buying the game? We understand you perfectly — and we have a solution that’s hard to refuse. Now you can access this atmospheric new product absolutely free and without any complications.

All that’s required of you is to visit the VpeSports website and create your profile there. It will only take a couple of minutes. As soon as you log in, find the section with free steam account. Split Fiction will already be waiting for you there, ready to launch. Go to the game review page — there you will find a special button that will open step-by-step instructions: what to do, where to click and how to launch everything quickly and easily.

After you get to know the game, be sure to share your impressions. It’s really important for us to hear what you think — we read every comment, enjoy likes and always try to stay in touch. However, remember that all reviews are moderated, so if your comment doesn’t appear right away, don’t panic – just check if everything is OK with it and send it again. After publication, you will receive a login and password by email, and go ahead – play!

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If something suddenly goes wrong – don’t worry. The site has detailed instructions with pictures and simple steps. Even if you are launching Split Fiction for the first time – you will figure it out without any problems.