Hazelight Studios has followed up its last hit,It Takes Two, with genre-bendingSplit Fiction, shifting gears to a story that tells the tale of two aspiring fiction writers having to work together.Split Fictionhas managed the seemingly impossible task of meeting the wild expectations thatIt Takes Twoput into place back in 2021.
This time around,Hazelight Studios introduces Mio and Zoe, two writers who end up sucked into a virtual reality device, aptly named The Machine, that brings their ideas to life. The kicker, though, is that Mio loves sci-fi, but Zoe is a fantasy lover, and that isn’t where their personality differences stop, either. As the two struggle to work together to escape The Machine, the game switches back and forth from sci-fi levels to fantasy settings, presenting an exciting genre tug-of-war. The game’s premise is one of its biggest selling points, but one of the unsung heroes ofSplit Fictionis its length.
Split Fiction Doesn’t Overstay Its Welcome
How Long is Split Fiction?
The length ofSplit Fictionmakes it a perfect title for couples and friends to enjoy over the weekend. For those who are particularly locked in,Split Fictioncould even be completed in a day if desired.Split Fictionhas drawn in a lot of players already, and its length is bound to be a deciding factor for gamers who also have busy lives. Not every video game lover has hours upon hours to spend playing a game, and a shorter length likeSplit Fiction’s is a big bonus for those with a packed schedule.
Not only is a short lengthbeneficial forSplit Fiction, but the constantly changing levels and mechanics help the story fly by. Just as it was withIt Takes Two, Hazelight Studios once again makes sure that every new mechanic and setting is only used for as long as it needs to be. It’s easy for gameplay features to become repetitive over time, especially several hours in. However, as soon as one mechanic begins to lose its charm, another one pops up in its place, bringing something fresh to the table.
For a game likeSplit Fiction, giving two players enough of a story and a fun experience while also not dragging on beyond a reasonable amount of time is crucial. Thankfully,Hazelight Studios does this quite well. The story takes the players into consideration, understanding that taking on a co-op game that is too lengthy is a daunting task.
Split Fictioncontains 20 Achievements. Hunting for Achievements can easily increase the length of the game.
Hazelight Studios once again makes sure that every new mechanic and setting is only used for as long as it needs to be.
Split Fiction is Off to a Strong Start
The numbers forSplit Fictionare looking great so far. BetweenKingdom Come: Deliverance 2,Monster Hunter Wilds, andSplit Fiction, 2025 has seen some powerful launches, and it’s only three months into the year. Strong sales numbers combined with overwhelmingly positive reviews from both critics and players could putSplit Fictionin the running for a Game of the Year nomination.
Of course, the year is still young, and with 2025’s stacked calendar, narrowing down Game of the Year nominations is bound to be a harrowing task. However, even if it doesn’t get such a nomination,Split Fictionis a great genre explorationthat players can enjoy despite the busy nature of life.
