Split Fiction definitely delivers on Hazelight’s most focused, enjoyable story yet, but that isn’t to say there aren’t a few distractions to lure you from the golden path.
Games out of Josef Fares’ yard always place an unavoidable emphasis on working co-operatively with another player and the team, without fail, pack their games full to the brim of fun things to do together. Whether that’s a blink and you’ll miss it, minute-long idea that vanishes never to be seen again, or a “side story” that unfolds like a self-contained mini-mission built around its own bespoke mechanic.
Everything in Split Fiction is explained in-world by being the stolen literary ideas of the dual-protagonist authors, Mio and Zoe, which means there are some downright bonkers things to see and do.
Here are all of the game’s dozen side stories ranked. Not that there’s a bad one in the bunch; they’re all great.
If you’re hoping to experience the side stories in Split Fiction free of spoilers, which we recommend, feel free to bookmark this and come back later.
12. Mountain Hike
While spectacular in scale, being that you’re being helped around by gargantuan giants, this is one of the slower-paced side stories that feels more like a “look how big” idea fleshed out.
While there are a handful of cool platforming and mountain-scaling moments, Mountain Hike feels like the simplest of the bunch.
11. Slopes of War
This one’ll be sure to please any die hard fan of snowboarding games, especially those that leant more extreme like SSX.
Unfortunately, the trickset is a little limited and basic for just how long this level drags on. It’s no doubt a fun little competitive score attack exercise that’ll land you bragging rights, and explosions light up along the way as though it’s a James Bond flick, however, it doesn’t quite have the sauce to make it all worthwhile.
10. Legend of the Sandfish
Torn straight from the ancient tomes of Prince of Persia, this feels like a riff on those Sands of Time-era action games that have, much like the franchise itself, fallen by the wayside.
Another one that doesn’t pile in too many ideas, the coolest moments here involve working together to pound the sand with a big thumping instrument to lure the sandfish, which are more like undead, devil sharks, so that your partner can cross the deadly sinking sands.
9. Kites
Similar to Slopes of War, this one brings out that competitive edge once again as you race your partner through a series of rings, each one replenishing your momentum as you sail through the skies.
It feels like what I imagine a good Quidditch game could feel like, and it has a lovely little soundtrack to make the race, which is otherwise thrilling, feel like a tranquil traipse through the clouds.
8. Space Escape
This is a very cinematic, high-stakes escape from a space station that’s under threat from an asteroid collision that’d, understandably, devastate everything.
It starts with a relaxing little jaunt through zero gravity before you suit up, go on what is effectively a spacewalk to retrieve the last remaining escape pod, all the while keying in data to solve puzzles under enormous pressure.
7. Train Heist
While I tongue-in-cheek considered Slopes of War to have the feel of a scene from James Bond, Train Heist could pass as a reel for Hazelight’s hypothetical secret agent film.
The name on the box of this one is a pretty good descriptor, as you wing suit down to a train only for things to spiral out of control. Forget Cruise and McQ, give Fares control of Mission: Impossible.
6. Moon Market
Moon Market felt like perhaps one of the most realised, fleshed-out ideas to pop up during a side story, almost as though it was content cut from the main narrative for failing to make sense in context.
While the aim is to rescue a few gatekeeping cat souls through the witchy power of sisterhood, the sheer interactivity of the market itself is guaranteed to draw the eye from the prize.
5. Notebook
This is a damn cute, hand-drawn little adventure that constantly toys with fantasy cliches while giving a small taste of player choice with regards to what enemies might be present, and so forth.
To have a pencil, drawing independently, filling in the narrative and illustrative gaps as you battle through an albeit basic run of creature was a fun little twist.
4. Birthday Cake
If an apple a day keeps a doctor away, I can tell you what doesn’t keep a dentist away, and that’s cake.
This cute interpretation of Mio’s fifth birthday party is a sickly sweet romp through a literal candyland, as you play as a pair of anthropomorphic teeth. With its world being made up of candy cane, toffee, and gumdrop buttons, the stage’s ending is perhaps to be expected if you’ve ever been a kid scared of a routine dental check-up.
Remember to floss.
3. Collapsing Star
Of all of the sci-fi concepts posited throughout Mio’s many stories, the Collapsing Star side story is perhaps the coolest of the bunch.
The aim is to bum rush the end of the level to activate a terminal that should, in theory, quell the dying star and bring an end to the frequent, often poorly timed, solar waves you’re avoiding in bursts. There are countless instances of clever, co-op platforming design throughout, and it ends on perhaps the game’s most spectacular visual.
2. Gameshow
As someone who fucks with both Portal and Destiny’s orb-passing raid mechanics, Gameshow spoke to me.
Navigating brief gauntlets of awkward platforming while playing hot potato with an unexpectedly short-fused bomb sounds like it’d be stressful, but I had a literal blast with this one. Plus, the show’s host gave off enormous GLaDOS vibes.
1. Farmlife
As far as shocking meme moments go, Farmlife is going to be the big one for Split Fiction. With a moment as unexpectedly disturbing as Cutie the plush elephant’s death in It Takes Two, I adored the absurdity of Farmlife.
To play two pigs, one spring-loaded and the “other gas-powered”, collecting apples across a fantastical farm of fairytale-like delight felt like a storybook fever dream that I’m unlikely to ever forget.
@shannongrixti I’ve been playing Split Fiction (from the It Takes Two creators) and here are my favorite bits so far ahead of my full review next week #SplitFiction #ItTakesTwo #EAOriginals #Gaming #PS5 #PlayStation5 #AWayOut
