Is there any studio more suited than Hazelight Studios to expand our understanding of what cooperative gaming can achieve? After the innovative prison escape game, A Way Out, the team based in Stockholm truly shone with It Takes Two, a heartfelt narrative about the conflicted couple Cody and May. They are compelled to resolve their marital issues while on a journey to reunite with their daughter after they were magically transformed into miniature dolls.
In this highly collaborative journey, you’ll find success navigating through a vibrant assortment of imaginative settings, filled with eccentric characters and lighthearted riddles that necessitate synergy and camaraderie to conquer. Above all else, the deep, sometimes tense, bond between the two playable characters is mirrored in your relationship with your gaming partner – regardless of who they are. Almost instantly, the experience calls for open dialogue and understanding between you, fostering a need for communication and empathy. Essentially, as you encounter challenges while working together, you’ll need to resolve any hurdles just like Cody and May in the game do.
In a refreshing twist, the game “It Takes Two” revitalized the concept of couch co-op and garnered numerous accolades, including Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021. Now, Hazelight Studios’ upcoming cooperative sequel, titled “Split Fiction,” seems to be building on the diversity found in “It Takes Two” while potentially taking it to new heights. Could it dethrone “It Takes Two”? If it manages, it would undoubtedly be a strong contender for more Game of the Year awards for the Swedish team. Check out the gameplay trailers for “Split Fiction,” and you’ll find it hard not to be captivated by its potential. Once again, Hazelight Studios is setting the bar higher.
In a nutshell, “Split Fiction” brings excitement by offering a rich mix, allowing Hazelight Studios to dabble in various genres and gameplay styles. Your team, comprising realist sci-fi writer Mio and fantasy novelist Zoe, gets pulled into a world based on their own stories, filled with dramatic shifts between science fiction and fantasy landscapes. As you navigate through these starkly contrasting realms, you’ll face diverse challenges to break free before the malicious Radar Publishing corporation steals your creative brilliance for their gain.
Each level in this game showcases exclusive mechanics and abilities unique to Mio and Zoe, and it’s up to you, the players, to utilize their skills harmoniously to tackle environmental puzzles and defeat numerous final bosses.
If you’ve experienced Astro Bot, you’ll recognize a 3D platformer that beautifully combines numerous original concepts. While it remains to be seen if Split Fiction will reach the same level of brilliance in terms of ideas as Astro Bot, it certainly seems to be heading in that direction. Similarly to Astro Bot, there’s a Nintendo-esque charm to the whimsical ideas in Split Fiction: daring escapes from exploding suns, squabbles with grumpy cats, climbing mountains with giants, surfing deserts on sandfish backs, exploring wrecked space stations, water-skiing across transparent oceans chasing hovertrains; lasers, dragons, even periods where you’re turned into pigs who – rather morosely – discover the origins of sausages.
In the world of Split Fiction, the most extraordinary events are found in the form of standalone tales – extra content that, as suggested by Josef Fares, founder of Hazelight Studios, is not to be overlooked. These unique escapades are tucked away within the main levels of the game and will undoubtedly disrupt the mechanics even further than the main campaign’s levels. In terms of narrative, these side stories embody Split Fiction’s wildest concepts as they stem from the imaginative tales penned by Mio and Zoe during their youthful years. With no restrictions of book deals or style guides to hold them back, these young, creative minds were free to scribble down any whimsical idea that popped into their heads. Such is the power of a young, free-thinking spirit that Split Fiction’s standalone stories result in the strangest, most delightful, and chaotic situations in the entire game.
In the narrative of Split Fiction, subplots serve to reinforce a primary theme – the significance of camaraderie, love, self-kindness, and living a fulfilling life. This concept was delved into more explicitly in It Takes Two. These subplots are not just drawn from our authors’ past experiences, but they also uncover forgotten truths buried within their fictional works. The side stories, as well as the main storyline of the game, will gradually reveal the layers of our novelists’ protective facades, the internal representations they’ve kept concealed from one another and the public at large.
Initially, our main characters from Split Fiction have differing viewpoints, but as their adventure unfolds, they’ll develop trust by confiding in each other about deeply personal, potentially painful, aspects of their past. While Hazelight Studios has not specified whether these histories are tragic, it appears they might be based on the strong bond that forms between Mio and Zoe within the game. Together, they may find healing and perhaps forge a relationship that transcends the practical one needed to navigate the ever-changing world they’re in.
Don’t let concerns about Split Fiction being too emotionally intense deter you. The previous statement was speculative, though it was based on information from Hazelight Studios’ website and media fact sheet. However, it’s essential to note that the game appears incredibly enjoyable. Sharing good times is a fundamental principle at Hazelight Studios, as demonstrated by their regular internal game jams, where they brainstorm and develop their most outlandish ideas together. Some of these ideas have actually been incorporated into Split Fiction, providing you with an opportunity to play through these collectively developed, unique concepts. Additionally, playing Hazelight Studios’ games means enjoying them cooperatively on the same screen or online with someone who could be miles away.
In the spirit of their previous games like “A Way Out” and “It Takes Two”, the “Friends Pass” will make a comeback in “Split Fiction”. This feature allows a player who owns the game to invite a friend to join them for free online, regardless of whether the friend owns the game or not. Additionally, Hazelight Studios are planning to include crossplay functionality, allowing friends on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC to play together if they choose. However, it seems that crossplay won’t be available at launch as suggested in an article published on Hazelight Studio’s website.
On March 6th, the highly anticipated game, Split Fiction, is set to release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. With its unique blend of imagination, fun, and emotion, coupled with a diverse gaming experience that spans two distinct genres – sci-fi and fantasy – it’s hard not to see Split Fiction as a strong contender for the Game of the Year award. Despite stiff competition from heavyweights like Monster Hunter Rise, Grand Theft Auto VI, and numerous anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 titles such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and a new 3D Mario, Split Fiction promises to stand out come awards season.
*Disclaimer: The opinions stated in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the views or positions of GamingBolt as a collective entity.*
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2025-02-14 17:13