Split Fiction (PS5) Review: 2025’s Best Co-Op Game Is Here

I absolutely love cooperative gaming as it allows me to experience great (and oftentimes not-so-great) art with a pal. Most of the time, though, it’s just an excuse to do mindless things while catching up. However, Hazelight Studios doesn’t make your typical game and is the rare developer that creates an experience that takes over your entire focus. That’s what made A Way Out and It Takes Two so special, as I got to experience those games with great friends, and their latest game, Split Fiction, is just as captivating a co-op experience.

As mentioned in my recent preview, the real highlight of Split Fiction is how it is constantly changing and evolving its gameplay. Thankfully, this isn’t unique to the preview build as it continued in the full game, which featured plenty of surprises, including some rhythm dance-offs. In an era of bloated games that tend to drag each mechanic into the ground so that all novelty goes away, it’s great to play something that is filled with ideas and explores them all, but never keeps them around for longer than they need to be. As soon as a mechanic is fully explored, a new one replaces it and you’re on that wonderful gameplay journey again.

While the game is constantly changing, its biggest accomplishment is how every aspect of the game comes together. Mechanically, the stages all lead to boss fights that will really test players while also forcing them to deploy everything they’ve learned. Story-wise, every set of levels winds up teaching us more about the characters and what is important to them as they are the creators of these worlds. It’s a wonderful blend of the gameplay informing the story and it all leads to a timely exploration of creatives and those that try to steal and profit from their ideas in the wake of generative AI.

Split Fiction is also the rare game that’s actually funny. There’s some high-quality banter between Zoe and Mio, which carefully manages to always be entertaining rather than hearing two people argue constantly while you try to play. But what really stands out is some of the side worlds, which feature some hilarious imagery and truly bizarre levels and weird mechanics. Throw in a ton of small touches, such as interactive elements within the worlds, and you’ve got an extremely charming experience from start to finish.

It is worth noting that Split Fiction gets a tiny bit more mechanically complex than It Takes Two. Some of the sci-fi sequences feature a lot of gunplay, which isn’t exactly new for the developer but requires a bit more coordination this time around. This might serve as a progression blocker if you’re playing with a more casual player that isn’t used to aiming with an analog stick. However, if you’re playing with another experienced gamer, then you’re definitely in for a treat. As long as you’re playing with someone who has completed past Hazelight games, they should be able to get through this one as well without too much difficulty, although there are the occasional tricky spots.

I also wanted to note that the game looks and runs wonderfully on PS5 Pro. With a consistent frame rate and a gorgeous art style that regularly wows as you go from sci-fi spectacles to beautiful fantasy worlds, it’s a great showcase for the system. It’s not a requirement, though, as I tested the game on a regular PS5 as well and it looked good and played well there as well.

Split Fiction (PS5) Review: Final Verdict

Hazelight Studios has done it again and crafted one of the PlayStation 5’s best co-op games. Featuring likable characters, terrific boss fights, and more variety than Saturday Night Live, Split Fiction will be one of 2025’s best games. It’s an easy recommendation for anyone that liked A Way Out or It Takes Two, and shows a developer that is truly perfecting its craft.

Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our Split Fiction review. Reviewed on version 1.300.000.

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