Game review: Split Fiction (Nintendo Switch)
Some people may remember Josef Fares as the funny guy who bagged on the Oscars at The Game Awards a few years ago. Fares is actually more than that because he's the director of Hazelight Studios, and the studio has released several award-winning games.
The first Hazelight Studios game I played was 'A Way Out', and this was a game about two prisoners trying to break out of prison. Fares' next game was 'It Takes Two', and this won the 'Game of the Year' award at the 2021 edition of The Game Awards.
Well, Fares is back with yet another very fun co-op video game called Split Fiction out now for all modern consoles, including the Nintendo Switch 2. If you have just bought a Nintendo Switch 2, I recommend you play Split Fiction because it's releasing at an affordable price of $79.00 NZD in New Zealand.
Before you decide to buy the game, you will need to know that this is strictly a two-player co-op video game. If you don't have any friends or family members around, you can try and play the game with a stranger when you connect online.
If you do have friends or family members, it's worth mentioning the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game requires you to have two separate controllers.
This means you may need to buy a Pro Controller or another set of Joy-Cons because one pair of Joy-Cons isn't enough to play this game.
It is also worth mentioning that Split Fiction on the Nintendo Switch 2 has some technical cutbacks compared to the other versions. The Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game only targets 30fps, and targets around a resolution of 1080p.
Despite some of its technical shortcomings, me and my brother still had a lot of fun playing Split Fiction on the Nintendo Switch 2. This is because the game itself is humorous, and it features a variety of different gameplay styles. Not to mention you will banter with your partner a lot if one of you keeps dying in a specific section of the game!
The thing that makes Split Fiction so charming is its unique premise. The game follows two unsuccessful fiction writers named Mio and Zoe. They are contacted by a supposed publishing company called Rader Publishing in hopes of their books finally getting published.
Little does the pair know at first that Rader Publishing is more sinister than it appears. Instead of traditionally publishing their books like a normal company, Rader forces its writers to step inside a special virtual reality machine so it can steal their writing ideas.
Both Mio and Zoe are trapped inside this machine, and they have to find a way out to expose Rader and its evil intentions. Before they can escape though, they have to survive the fictional worlds of the books they actually created.
One of the reasons I loved this game so much is because Mio and Zoe are completely opposite characters. Mio likes to write about science fiction, so most of her levels take place in the far future. In comparison, Zoe is a fantasy writer, so she's more into things like 'Lord of the Rings' and worlds like that.
One of the more major levels in the game is where Mio and Zoe are turned into Cyber Ninjas. The level design in this stage is immaculate because the city resembles the one seen in the 'Blade Runner' movie.
It is also worth mentioning both Mio and Zoe have different play styles at each level. In the Cyber Ninja level, Mio is armed with a sword and can use anti-gravity boots. Zoe, on the other hand, has a laser whip that she can use to grab and throw objects.
At the fantasy-world level, Mio can shapeshift into a large monkey and even a fish. Zoe turns into a tree-like Marvel's Groot and a pretty blonde fairy like Tinkerbell. The fantasy world has tons of logic puzzles to solve, and players will need to use the characters' specific special skills to get through them correctly.
I was also surprised that this game has multiple epic boss fights too. One of my favourite boss fights in the entire game was when we had to battle against a huge robot using cool-looking motorcycles. The boss fights are kind of long, but thankfully, this game is generous with its number of checkpoints.
Aside from the main storyline, there are side stories to explore too. The most humorous side story is when Mio and Zoe are turned into pigs. Mio has a special farting ability, while Zoe can stretch her piggy body. There are other worlds to explore too, but I won't spoil them for you.
Split Fiction is also a game where you can play more than once. I played as Zoe during my first playthrough, but I'd like to experience playing as Mio later on. The game is also around 13 hours long, so it's not as short as the 6.5 hours it took to finish 'A Way Out'.
Apart from needing to buy an extra game controller, there aren't that many flaws I can find about Split Fiction. It's easily one of the best games I've played in 2025, and it's worth buying for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Verdict: 9.0/10
