---
title: "Split Fiction: Walkthrough & Tips"
game: "Split Fiction"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/split-fiction"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
topics: ["Walkthroughs", "Co-op", "Achievements"]
summary: "A co-op guide to Hazelight's Split Fiction: how to set up play (Friend's Pass, split screen, cross-play), a spoiler-light chapter and side-story outline, how to find every side story, achievement hunting, and tips for…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/split-fiction-walkthrough-tips-c16b42d2"
published: "2026-09-27T16:58:47.851Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T16:58:47.851Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# Split Fiction: Walkthrough & Tips

A co-op guide to Hazelight's Split Fiction: how to set up play (Friend's Pass, split screen, cross-play), a spoiler-light chapter and side-story outline, how to find every side story, achievement hunting, and tips for getting through tough sections with a partner of any skill level.

*Researched September 2026 — current as of the 2025 release version (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S since March 6, 2025; Switch 2 since June 5, 2025). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.*

## Quick Start

1. **It's two-player only.** There's no solo mode. Play local split screen on one PC, or online with a friend.
2. **Only one of you needs to buy it.** With the **Friend's Pass**, the owner invites a friend who installs the free Friend's Pass and plays the whole game with them. It needs an internet connection and a platform account.
3. **Pick Mio or Zoe at the start.** Mio writes sci-fi, Zoe writes fantasy. Each chapter gives the two of you different, complementary abilities, so you'll never have the same toolkit as your partner.
4. **Talk constantly.** Most puzzles only work when one player does something for the other: holds a switch, carries them, changes the environment.
5. **Dying is cheap.** Checkpoints are frequent, and the downed player can speed up their respawn with a button prompt.
6. **Don't skip the side stories.** The glowing portals lead to short, self-contained "unfinished ideas". They're some of the best levels in the game and count toward completion.
7. **Look at your partner's half of the screen.** Split screen is always on (even online), and the solution is often happening on their side.
8. **You can replay anything.** Chapter select lets you go back for missed side stories and achievements after the fact.

## Setup Options

| Option | How it works | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Local couch co-op** | Two controllers (or keyboard + controller) on one PC | Only one copy needed |
| **Online with Friend's Pass** | The owner invites, the friend downloads the free Friend's Pass | Needs internet and platform accounts |
| **Online, both own it** | Normal online co-op | Same experience |
| **Cross-play** | Supported across platforms with the Friend's Pass | Link your EA account on each platform |
| **Steam Remote Play Together** | Stream local co-op to a friend | Friend's Pass is usually smoother |

No partner? The Hazelight Studios Discord has "Looking For Game" channels for finding a Mio or Zoe.

## Story Setup (No Spoilers)

Mio Hudson and Zoe Foster are two unpublished writers invited to **Rader Publishing**, where CEO J.D. Rader hooks them up to a machine that turns stories into simulations. They end up trapped inside a mix of their stories, jumping between Mio's sci-fi and Zoe's fantasy worlds, and have to work together to break out with their memories intact.

## Chapter Outline

| # | Chapter | World | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | **Rader Publishing** | The real world / setup | Tutorial and story setup. You learn the basic moves |
| 2 | **Neon Revenge** | Sci-fi | Cyberpunk city, cyber-ninja action, a crime syndicate |
| 3 | **Hopes of Spring** | Fantasy | Colorful fantasy world with creature transformations |
| 4 | **Final Dawn** | Sci-fi | Large-scale sci-fi set pieces |
| 5 | **Rise of the Dragon Realm** | Fantasy | Dragon-riding fantasy |
| 6 | **Isolation** | Sci-fi | Darker and more personal. Includes "The Prisoner" encounter |
| 7 | **The Hollow** | Late story | A chapter that digs into memories (its levels include "Mosaic of Memories") |
| 8 | **Split** | Both | The finale, where the genres collide |

Each chapter introduces new mechanics and throws them away once you've mastered them, so things change constantly.

## Side Stories (All 12)

Side stories are the "other" writer's genre breaking into a chapter: sci-fi ideas turn up in fantasy chapters and vice versa. Look for a **glowing portal**, usually just off the main path. Both players interact with it to jump in.

| Found during | Side stories |
|---|---|
| **Neon Revenge** | The Legend of the Sandfish, Farmlife, Mountain Hike |
| **Hopes of Spring** | Train Heist, Gameshow, Collapsing Star |
| **Final Dawn** | Kites, Moon Market, Notebook |
| **Rise of the Dragon Realm** | Slopes of War, Space Escape, Birthday Cake |

Rader Publishing, Isolation, The Hollow and Split have no side stories, so once you reach Isolation any you skipped can only be picked up through chapter select.

**Tip:** if you see a portal, take it. It doesn't cut the main chapter short. If you miss one, use chapter select later. Finishing all 12 counts toward completionist achievements.

## General Co-op Techniques

- **Call out roles before a puzzle.** "You hold, I jump" saves a lot of retries.
- **Use the ability pairs together.** Many chapters give one player a way to change the world (move platforms, grab, pull) and the other a way to move through it (grapple, dash, glide).
- **Pace chase sequences for the slower player.** In many set pieces both of you have to survive, and one fall can reset the section.
- **In boss fights, split the jobs.** Usually one player creates the opening and the other deals the damage. Swap if one of you keeps failing a phase.
- **Explore the hub-like areas.** Almost every room hides an interaction such as a silly prop, a minigame, or a bench to sit on. Many achievements come from these.
- **Skip cutscenes only by agreement.** Both players have to confirm.

## Difficulty and Accessibility

- There's **no difficulty selector**. Hazelight tunes challenge through checkpoints, and the downed player can speed up their own respawn.
- Deaths are never punished beyond a short restart. Tell a nervous partner to experiment.
- Check the accessibility options (subtitles, camera settings, input options) in the settings menu before you start.

## Achievements and Completion

- **Fextralife lists 28 trophies**, counting the PlayStation platinum ("It Took Two"). Key ones: **BFF's** (finish the story), **Bookworms** (complete all side stories), and side-story specials such as **Cold Potato** (finish Gameshow) and **Potion Chef** (brew potions in Moon Market).
- Fextralife flags several as missable in the sense that they need a specific action in a specific spot; Farmlife alone has two (Huffing and Puffing, Goin' Whole Hog).
- Most of the rest are **interaction jokes**: doing something odd with a prop, a minigame, a creature or your partner in a particular chapter or side story. They're easy to miss on a first playthrough.
- **Minigames:** Hazelight games hide competitive two-player minigames in the levels, and Split Fiction has them too. Some achievements come from them.
- **Nothing is permanently lost.** Those "missable" achievements can still be cleaned up, because chapter select lets you jump back to any chapter or side story.
- **Plan:** play the story blind, then use a checklist and chapter select for cleanup.

## How Long Is It?

A normal first playthrough with side stories takes roughly a dozen hours, with more for achievement cleanup. It works well spread over several evenings. Chapters are long, so stop at chapter breaks.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- **Trying to play solo.** You can't. Use the Friend's Pass so a friend can join for free.
- **Ignoring portals.** Side stories are a big part of the game's appeal and several achievements need them.
- **Watching only your own screen.** Half the puzzle clues are on your partner's side.
- **Buying two copies unnecessarily.** One owner plus the Friend's Pass covers the full game.
- **Rushing chase sequences.** If one of you falls, both restart. Let the less confident player set the pace.
- **Quitting mid-chapter without checking the checkpoint.** You'll restart from the last checkpoint, so stop at chapter breaks or obvious checkpoints.

## Advanced Tips

- **Swap characters on your second playthrough.** Mio and Zoe get different abilities in almost every chapter, so replaying as the other character feels like a new game.
- **Use chapter select for fun, not just cleanup.** Favourite set pieces and minigames are quick to replay.
- **Keyboard + mouse vs controller:** both are supported, but many set pieces (flying, riding, vehicles) feel better on a controller.
- **Online latency:** the host's connection matters most. Let the player with the better connection host.
- **Want more Hazelight?** *It Takes Two* and *A Way Out* are built on the same co-op principles, and It Takes Two also has a Friend's Pass.

## FAQ

**Can I play Split Fiction solo?**
No. It needs two players, locally or online.

**Does my friend need to buy the game?**
No. One owner can invite a friend through the free Friend's Pass for the whole game.

**Is there cross-play?**
Yes, cross-platform online play is supported through the Friend's Pass system.

**How many chapters and side stories are there?**
Eight main chapters (from Rader Publishing to Split) and 12 side stories.

**Can I go back for missed side stories?**
Yes, through chapter select.

**Is it a sequel to It Takes Two?**
No, it's a standalone story with new characters. It has the same co-op design philosophy.

**Is there a movie?**
A film adaptation is in development at Amazon MGM Studios, with Jon M. Chu directing from a script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, and Sydney Sweeney attached to star and executive produce.

**Is it popular enough to find a partner?**
Yes. Wikipedia reports over 7 million copies sold as of April 2026, and the Hazelight Discord's Looking For Game channels are the official place to find a partner.

## Sources

- [Split Fiction on Steam (store and announcements)](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2001120/Split_Fiction/)
- [Split Fiction — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_Fiction)
- [Fextralife Split Fiction Wiki — Walkthrough](https://splitfiction.wiki.fextralife.com/Walkthrough)
- [Fextralife Split Fiction Wiki — Achievements](https://splitfiction.wiki.fextralife.com/Achievements)
- [Fextralife Split Fiction Wiki — main page](https://splitfiction.wiki.fextralife.com/Split+Fiction+Wiki)