Split Fiction Review – The Perfect Mix of Fantasy and Sci-Fi in One Bubble

As a dedicated fantasy reader, I could not help but be excited about a game that would mix books and gaming. And honestly, it did not let me down at all! I can confidently say this has been one of the most enjoyable games I have played in a while, and the fact that I could enjoy playing Split Fiction with my partner was the cherry on top. 

There were a few dramatic and slightly traumatizing experiences along the game (We are most likely not eating hot dogs for a while, IYKYK), but these unexpected discoveries made the game all the more unique and exciting to explore.

TL;DR

With a unique storyline and a set of unexpected and fun worlds, Split Fiction is one of the most innovative and enjoyable games we have played in a while. It truly offers a unique mix of different genres of gaming and will keep you and your partner occupied in a mix of sci-fi and fantasy worlds for hours!

The Plot Starts Strong

From the very beginning, Split Fiction started off with an interesting backstory of a handful of aspiring, unpublished authors who were invited to an event by a large corporation that supposedly wanted to publish them. With a false promise, they were told they would be able to experience their stories in the flesh, yet they had no idea that the ultimate goal was for their stories to be stolen from them. 

Between the group of authors were Mio, a Sci-fi author and Zoe, a fantasy author. The dislike between our main characters was evident from the beginning, yet who doesn’t love an enemies-to-friends trope? In an unexpected accident, the two main characters became stuck in the same bubble, left to experience their individual stories together. 

I feel like the whole idea behind the story of the game is also something a lot of young authors can relate to. Getting published is hard, especially with how many stories exist nowadays and how many are willing to steal other people’s hard work. This is another way through which Split Fiction gets a big round of applause from me.

Finding the Rifts in the Story

As the two authors become trapped in the same “reality”, they quickly realise they will have to work together in order to escape. While they initially were in a medieval fantasy world created by Zoe, a mysterious rift appeared that dragged them both to the blood-pumping adventure created by Mio. 

The main point of the game is for you to work together with your partner so you can escape deadly situations and find more and more rifts in the stories. The rifts essentially become side-quests which you can follow in order to protect the stories associated with them. They do not seem to be mandatory, but we were purposefully chasing after them as they ended up being very fun and unpredictable every time. 

The decisions you make in Split Fiction regarding the rifts and your progress in the stories also shape the game as it goes. It really feels like the game is unfolding in front of your eyes like a book, and it makes for a much more immersive experience.

Exploring a Variety of Worlds and Stories

While all the stories were very memorable, I am also obsessed with the most viral one, where you both turn into pigs. I can confidently say I had not played such an interesting and unique level in a while, and it definitely made us eager to see what other crazy scenarios the game would come up with. 

The great thing about the story is that it is made up of multiple side stories that you can complete in order to preserve them from evil publishers. You can really tell that so much creativity went into the design of the levels and the story itself. You will come across trolls, magical lands where you turn into fairies and a cyberpunk universe which will cover the needs of every action game enthusiast.

In addition, the characters are well crafted and have interesting backgrounds, which you learn more about as you read their stories. While Mio and Zoe couldn’t be any more different, they quickly realize that they have different levels of understanding, which aids them in their journey. 

Something I really enjoyed is that Split Fiction is challenging, but it’s not making losing a big deal. Whenever one of you dies, you will easily respawn shortly after and continue the game. The boss fights and different levels are challenging and will require both players to try their hand at different skills in order to beat them. This will really push both parties to communicate and collaborate to make the most of every level in Split Fiction.

A Good Choice for Seasoned Gamers

When it comes to many co-op games, people might expect them to be easy enough for a novice player to play. Based on our experience with Split Fiction, both my partner and I are seasoned gamers with years of gaming under our belts. 

I would honestly say that there were certain quests in the game which were pretty challenging and you would have to have a level of familiarity with games to enjoy them. This, of course, doesn’t mean that a newbie won’t be able to keep up. Even if you’re not the best at escaping trolls or driving flying vehicles, you will always respawn as long as one of you keeps going. 

And if things get too tough, you can always pass your partner the controller so they can help you out with the more challenging levels. This makes Split Fiction a top-tier couch co-op gaming experience.

Conclusion – Split Fiction is a Breath of Fresh Air in Gaming

With the large accessibility we have to video games, it is not that frequent that we find games that support collaboration and make for such an original experience. The last big titles that we enjoyed as much were It Takes Two and A Way Out, both of which had a completely different setting and story but also came from the same lovely studio, Hazelight. 

Split Fiction has managed to make a story that is full of unexpected twists and turns, and is bound to keep you and your partner occupied for hours on end. You can truly feel the love and care that went into the development of this game, and we wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone who would like to try a fun game that mixes so many genres. 

Split Fiction is now available on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, as well as PC! And best of all, you only need one copy of the game for you and your friend to play the whole game together.

 Big thanks to Bandai Namco EU for sponsoring our review!