flagsteeler の最近のレビュー

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A review that feels a bit late to write, but hasn't felt more important than ever.

Hey, that's cool

Initially, my first impressions of Split Fiction were quite critical. This is my first game from Hazelight and what little exposure I have from their other games come in the form of having seen some of A Way Out on YouTube around the time it came out.

From seeing EA as the publisher, it left me very wary as it isn't difficult to look through the history of the studios and many other series they've trampled upon. It's great to say that hasn't happened here, in fact - the main antagonist is a great allegory for corporate greed and the kind of exploitation creatives go through.

It's co-op all the way through, and they really cared to make it accessible. If you buy a copy, your partner can download a Friend's Pass version of the game and input a code that you provide to them to be able to play together. This even works across platforms, and has options for remote play.

Just how many studios can you name do this with their games? Granted that with the nature of the game and studio, it seems only organic to do as such, but it's really quite nice to not see two companies demand another price tag for every instance of two people playing together and doubling their revenue.

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What's witnessed

Here, the two of you choose who you'd be playing as for your time together between Mio and Zoe. At first they can seem a bit uninspired and only to be representative of their respective traits - Mio having an upbeat positivity and loving to laugh at the little things while Zoe is a down-to-earth pragmatist who's cynical about everything.

It seemed like that's as far as they'll go as they poke at each other for being into different genres for their stories while trying to find their way through what happens to them, but by the end of everything, I was very pleasantly surprised and awed by what we went through. I'll lightly get into how the story handles itself further below.

I remember when we first saw the perma-split screen and realized it was going to be like that all the way through. That was really cool. In a strange way it helps you feel more connected to who you're playing with since you constantly have their perspective in view, what they're looking around at, following their inputs and what they get up to in case you two need to separate for an encounter.

I'm not one to care too much about graphics, but they are phenomenal here. Even with the main conventional sci-fi and fantasy environments you run through, there's chock-full of interpersonal detail scattered through the linear levels that help keep it fresh and there's little hidden things you can find together.

The sound design is crisp and there's as many impactful, action-packed scenarios as there are relaxing and comfortable moments to have and enjoy the scenery with. Color plays a heavy role here, and the side stories are so creative and lovely that I didn't realize I was having genuine carefree fun until way later. The last few levels of the game especially blew our minds away.

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The Game

That leads me back to my main criticism I had for Split Fiction, and why I didn't grow to genuinely appreciate everything I just went through with my partner until a little bit before or around the middle part of the game.

There's a lack of depth within what you actually get to do in-game. Each level is a sequence of being giving your character's solution for obvious problems from the start, and/or controlling one half of a thing you're riding together on.

Due to how linear the levels are built, you can't utilize what's at your disposal to traverse the environment or defeat enemies any quicker and there's just one way to solve each puzzle you encounter. Admittedly, the beginning of the game had been difficult for me to stay engaged with. In comes the magic of not being alone, though, and I especially did not want to abandon who I was with.

As we played through, it dawned on me you didn't need anything to go past being as simple as they are to end up enjoying the fullest of it. What makes up for lack of depth, is the variety of things you get to do and see. You're constantly treated to cinematic spectacles and minigames from different video game genres. And everything you get to do, you get to do it together. Split Fiction never misses a moment to reinforce cooperation, and wonderfully blends with the story's progression to feel organic.

Here, we're lead to what many would pin as a weak point for Split Fiction: the narrative. I actually really got to enjoy how straightforward of a villain the main antagonist is, as it lends to what Hazelight wants the game to be - a fun adventure with whoever you have accompanying you in a lighthearted story that comes with heavy-handed moments that touch upon the emotions. Loss is involved, and for some of those that play, it can be extremely personal.

In avoiding spoilers the best I can, I'd say how they portray loss in the game and dealing with everything grief can make you feel is pretty realistic. At least, for me, anyways. I wasn't expecting anything like it in a game such as this and it left me tearing up. It's an incredibly sweet story and it was a joy to see Mio and Zoe warm up to each other over the course of the hardships they face in-game. Their actors absolutely nailed their voices and roles, and, to be frank, it was hard not to draw parallels with how they began to feel for each other towards the someone I was playing with.

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Companionship

In truth, for most of those that get through the game, one playthrough would be it. But it's certainly going to be more than enough. Not only did I generally have a fun and comfy time, Split fiction helped me to touch back upon the subtleties of a human connection and what someone means to me through simple gameplay and just doing things together. If you're reading through these reviews and have a sibling, child, parent, friend, close partner, or anyone really to give it a try with, I couldn't give a stronger recommendation. When you do, cherish them and each moment in tandem, as you never know what's going to become a memory for you two to keep forever. I'll definitely be looking forward to It Takes Two when them and I get to have the chance for more heartbound cooperation again.

the kids in this game can go ♥♥♥♥ themselves

play it, game's one of a kind

yes