Split Fiction Preview: Early GOTY 2025 Frontrunner Lives Up to Hype

Ever since Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was released in 2013, I’ve been enraptured by the works of Josef Fares. That game was a brilliant look at grief with a unique control scheme (you control both brothers at the same time with each analog stick controlling one), and it really set the stage for the co-op masterpieces that followed at Hazelight: 2018’s A Way Out — a prison escape game based around themes of trust that was my favorite of the year — and 2021’s It Takes Two, which won several game of the year awards and explored relationships and communication. Now developer Hazelight is back with its third game called Split Fiction, which is another co-op experience that is even wilder and more inventive than what came before.

The game’s title aptly explains its main conceit — players control two different writers who have been trapped in a virtual world together. However, each level alternates between fantasy and sci-fi worlds, as the two protagonists share opposing views and are forced to work together once they realize that their ideas are being stolen by technology. In short, players get to go through a wide variety of vastly different sci-fi and fantasy conceits, with gameplay rapidly changing from world to world.

Thankfully, the two characters are both likable and despite their opposing worldviews, they aren’t just constantly bickering (which could get quite annoying). Hazelight has a strong writing team and was able to make a couple on the verge of divorce and arguing entertaining and endearing in It Takes Two. So, it’s no surprise that they are able to thread the needle here and make both writers — Mio and Zoe — interesting characters.

However, where the game really shines is its gameplay, and this is where ambition is finally meeting an absurd level of polish and great execution. The idea of gameplay constantly changing isn’t anything new for Hazelight, as it was seen prominently in its first game, A Way Out, but its shooter sections felt sloppy compared to the finely tuned action sequences in Split Fiction. No matter what scenario you’re thrown into, be it cyber ninjas in an intense chase sequence or a turret shooting sequence, the controls are tight and easy to pick up and play. The game also looks great, running at an impressive 60 frames per second, and the worlds can drastically change in style despite being of two genres.

What really stood out in the demo session was just the clear reverence that Split Fiction has for video games in general. Similar to Astro Bot’s cameo levels, which took aspects of other games and remixed the gameplay, many of Split Fiction’s stages take inspiration and mechanics from classic games and add a co-op twist to them. One of my favorite sections was a pinball-inspired level that had one player controlling the ball while another was controlling the flippers and plunger. I don’t want to spoil all of the gameplay I experienced, but everything from Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot to Contra and SSX (hopefully, EA will take note) was referenced lovingly within gameplay sections that felt fresh and new. It’s a wonderful blend, and I can’t wait to see what surprises will be in the full game.

Split Fiction also isn’t afraid to get silly, as there are some really fantastic smaller optional levels that can be found by keen adventurers as well. The one I played had players controlling two pigs, one that was able to glide by farting (I laughed each time my partner used the skill) and another that could get extremely tall, as if it was made out of a spring. It was completely ridiculous and filled with small demented details (such as finding a group of cannibal pigs roasting one of their brethren), but it allowed for a lot of really fun puzzle-solving while both players also got to learn more about the past of Zoe — the fantasy writer who loves rural living. It was Hazelight at its best as it allowed for a really fun co-op experience that had me laughing and creating memories the entire time.

Split Fiction Preview: Final Verdict

After spending three hours playing Split Fiction, there’s little doubt that it is shaping up to be a strong frontrunner for game of the year, and it’s easily my most anticipated game of 2025. While I only saw the opening story section before going on a montage of gameplay segments, it had me hooked and is a clear examination of AI and how it can prey upon the ideas of actual creatives. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the story blends in with the top-notch gameplay, which is constantly changing yet always satisfying. This looks to be Hazelight’s best game yet, which is no small feat given how great the dev’s past games have been.

Disclosure: EA provided travel and lodging so we could attend the Split Fiction preview event.

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