Split Fiction

 PlayStation 5
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 110 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 106 out of 110
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 110
  3. Negative: 0 out of 110
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  1. The Sydney Morning Herald
    Mar 4, 2025
    70
    Split Fiction evolves Hazelight's co-operative and excellently manic two-player gauntlet gameplay, last seen in It Takes Two, this time also blending sci-fi and fantasy worlds to make for one of the great modern split-screen experiences. However, the cringey writing and one-note storytelling is almost more grating this time around, given the entire narrative is supposed to revolve around authorship.
  2. GamingBolt
    Mar 4, 2025
    70
    Split Fiction pretty much nails it on the gameplay front, but falters regarding its predictable and flawed story. The one-dimensional villain and cliche character dynamic between Mio and Zoe can't be ignored due to their presence through the adventure. Don't miss the Side Stories, as these supply some of the game's most memorable and charming moments.
  3. Digital Trends
    Mar 4, 2025
    70
    Split Fiction is hokey, muddled, and needlessly self-defeating. It’s also lively, inventive, and so earnest that it’s hard to be mad at it for long. These aren’t opposing forces that tear Hazelight’s latest apart; the clumsiness is inseparable from the delight. Both are born from the ambitious vision of artists who still believe in the magic of creativity and are willing to take big swings in its honor. Sometimes it absolutely whiffs. We all do. Fail again. Fail better. But it’s those moments where it connects, where simple ideas turn into unforgettable spectacle, that remind us why art can’t be automated. Even the most advanced machine can never dream bigger than a human with a heart.
  5. Hardcore Gamer
    Mar 4, 2025
    70
    Split Fiction is shorter, more expensive, and while it may not have the originality or variety of It Takes Two, it still manages to create an entertaining and captivating experience for both players.
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  1. CNET
    Mar 4, 2025
    Rather than write a traditional review, I wanted to format it this way to reflect how much playing this game felt like a dialogue between us as we played. Not just our characters exchanging lines and building their friendship from scratch but working through increasingly tough challenges as the game pushed us to collaborate more precisely. I'm recalling that ape-and-fairy shapeshifting puzzle along with taking down a giant cat boss by alley-ooping each other's signature abilities.
  2. Kotaku
    Mar 4, 2025
    The studio was straight up just showing off at this point, and I’m kinda mad I’ll never experience it for the first time again. That’s the kind of feeling you can’t scrap from a creative person’s brain and sell as slop. Split Fiction is a culmination of the design ideas the studio has been working with since A Way Out, and it kinda feels like Hazelight threw everything it had at a wall, and it all stuck. It’s a tribute to several video games and to genre fiction, but also to the creative process itself. Fares may think people and AI should co-exist in creative fields, but when you’re already making games this inventive, do they have to? I don’t think so.
  3. Polygon
    Mar 4, 2025
    Split Fiction doesn’t settle for being just a tongue-in-cheek comedic callout on the dire state of the games industry. The game’s story also injects hope by emphasizing the importance of the talented individuals behind games as the true magic that makes Split Fiction’s medley of genre-spanning levels enjoyable — not the big-name corporations attached to them. Creating a thrilling co-op game that pushes the genre forward, tests the strength of players’ friendships, and advocates for game developers is truly next-level stuff.
  5. The Escapist
    Mar 11, 2025
    At the end of the day, my fiance and I both enjoyed our time with Split Fiction. While it definitely has some narrative issues and the pacing can be a bit uneven, it’s still a great time for two players who want to experience a fully fleshed-out co-op adventure. Its highs are arguably higher than It Takes Two thanks to its numerous setpieces, and outside of a few puzzles that made us a wee bit angry, our relationship is stronger for it.
  6. The Verge
    Mar 4, 2025
    We loved Split Fiction because, along with its predecessor It Takes Two, it’s the only modern game my husband and I can play together that doesn’t leave us wanting to kill each other. The gameplay was simple but required a level of cooperation that was deeply satisfying to pull off. It’s a cotton-candy ass game, and I won’t be able to tell you a specific thing about it in a week other than it’s fun, but that’s fine. We like cotton candy because it tastes good, not because eating it is a particularly memorable experience.
  7. Vice
    Mar 4, 2025
    That the story of Split Fiction could be looked at as a commentary on AI is not lost on me. AI can’t do what these people just did. You need humans to make the end of this game happen. You need people who care about what they do — who put themselves wholeheartedly into what they do — to make something this incredible. From a pure gameplay perspective, what I experienced shouldn’t be possible, and yet, they pulled it off seamlessly. Split Fiction is an outstanding commentary on friendship, opening up, and creativity that everyone must experience. [Strongly Recommended]