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

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Mio Hudson and Zoe Foster are two unpublished writers invited to Rader Publishing, where CEO J.D. Rader hooks them up to a machine that turns stories into simulations.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

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.

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)
• Split Fiction — Wikipedia
• Fextralife Split Fiction Wiki — Walkthrough
• Fextralife Split Fiction Wiki — Achievements
• Fextralife Split Fiction Wiki — main page