Split Fiction delivers to you one of the greatest adventures in gaming history.
Finally able to get my hands on Split Fiction ever since its announcement at The Game Awards, they gave us some gameplay that would intrigue gamers, including myself. Seeing that this game is by Hazelight Studios, the same developer of the 2021 Game of the Year winner, It Takes Two, as well as the iconic A Way Out game, it’s expected that the new game would also be a hit. And guess what? It was. And now it’s available for us to enjoy.
If you love that, then you’ll love this. Being aligned with a friend is virtually guaranteed now. If you can’t find a friend you know, you can simply acquire one from social media. There’s even a dedicated Discord server where thousands of players will happily join you, which is exactly where I found a friend to play this game. Yes, it was very straightforward. On the plus side, you get to meet new people and make new friends in the process.
So, you have no excuse not to get Split Fiction. Before, it was much harder for some people. It gets even better, the person you’ll be playing with doesn’t need to own the game – only one of you owning one is ample. The player that doesn’t own the game would need to download and use the free Friends Pass app to play. And you can do it with cross-platform. Or, you could simply play locally with a friend at home.
You get to dive into yet another online split-screen co-op action-adventure from EA in the form of Split Fiction, where your team’s work is again put to the test. You’ll embark on an ultra bizarre, fast-paced, and one of the most exciting and exhilarating journeys you’ll ever have in a multiplayer experience as you’re exploring many unique fantasy and sci-fi locations.
Split Fiction is a tale of two highly creative, contrasting but unfortunately unsuccessful writers: Zoe and Mio, who’ve become imprisoned in their own stories after they both unknowingly participated in an experiment that featured a machine that was created to extract ideas from writers. Both women will have to get along, build their relationship, and work together to stand a chance of escaping an abundance of obstacles in the unprecedented universe.
This is where you and your friend come along, as you have to play as a team. You both must choose to play as Mio or Zoe, and both Zoe’s fantasy and Mio’s Sci-Fi stories intertwined, creating a bizarre experience like never before. The reason the word “bizarre” was used is because you’ll encounter and endure many situations you may have seen in a co-op game as you enjoy its incredible main and side quests.
I’m not just talking about turning into an animal or a monster or challenging a monkey to dance battles, or playing as pigs – which by the way is a funny side story, including when Mio as a pig uses her flatulent ability to help her glide. But, you’d unlock new abilities for your playable character each level.
You and your friend would have to make use of your character’s abilities and weapons, and both of you would have to combine both your abilities in order to advance. For example, in one of Mio’s sci-fi levels, she is able to shift gravity on surfaces, and Zoe’s futuristic lasso allows her to grapple and toss subjects.
In one of Zoe’s fantasy levels, Mio can turn into a gorilla-like creature and use her brute attacks against enemies and subjects, or she can be used as a fish, where she’s useful for tasks underwater. As for Zoe, she can turn into the Groot-like figure that helps them with plant-like subjects, and can also turn into a fairy to get inside very small locations. Again, these are just examples. There are many missions where both characters have their unique abilities.
And with these abilities, you fight enemies and solve puzzles with your character’s respective weapons and abilities. Split Fiction offers an ordeal of immersive yet challenging and fun puzzles that you both obviously have to do together.
There is a great variety of enemies to battle and ride, including the fast-paced boss fights. But speaking of riding, not only do you get to ride on a variety of vehicles such as motorcycles, airships, dragons, and so on, but you also get to do so on enemies. Use the enemies to your advantage as you ride them through obstacles to advance, which is a great touch.
Hazelight Studios has created something special with this game. They’ve managed to implement one of the most impressive and fluid game mechanics not just in the co-op genre but in gaming overall. They’ve taken the meaning of ‘less is more’ to perfection, as the buttons are very simple but very enjoyable in all situations.
Also, Split Fiction manages to make both players feel like their roles and responsibilities are equally as important as each and that neither can survive this adventure without the other. The story is so addicting to the point where you’re constantly wondering what happens next. On average, the entire playthrough would be over ten hours, but there’s a part of you that wishes that the game never ends.
Cannot emphasise enough that this game possesses a completely mind-blowing experience, main story, and equally enthralling side quests with their second to none level designs. Here’s another thing, the game doesn’t feel repetitive at all. Every single quest is completely different from the others, and every main and side quest is like a completely different adventure. This is a feat that not many game developers are able to accomplish.
It’s crazy how both Zoe and Mio were strangers at first, but as the story progresses, despite both having contrasting personalities, as they get to know each other and the origins of their creative ideas, they are able to get along and form a heartwarming friendship. Plus, you’d have a strong connection with your character. I know I did when playing as Mio.
On top of that, Split Fiction’s visuals are unbelievable. Every single chapter featured stunning designs that are based on both Mio’s sci-fi and Zoe’s fantasy styles. So many gorgeous and stunning locations in each chapter that I could handle that makes each one of them truly a chef’s kiss.
This isn’t an exaggeration, but Split Fiction is peak EA, who understood the fundamentals of multiplayer online co-op gaming. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had this much fun with a co-op game that produced nonstop action and a brilliantly executed story, making this quite possibly the best co-op game ever made.
There isn’t a single negative I could find, and if there is one, it does nothing to impact this game’s greatness. On top of that, you can enjoy this insane adventure for only £40. So, let’s get this straight. You and your friend will endure many hours of thrills, mayhem and even more mayhem, for a pretty reasonable price. Staggering. And yes, this is without a doubt a Game of the Year contender in my book.
