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Cut up Fiction is an explosive co-op game with a kaleidoscope of mechanics. For those who’ve performed both of Hazelight Studios’ earlier multiplayer masterpieces, you then’ll know what I imply by this – there’s a degree the place you actually must navigate your manner by means of a type of colourful rotating toys, however for these of you who haven’t (go play them now) I am extra so referring to the assorted recreation sorts it has managed to pack into it, from platforming and puzzling to action-adventure role-playing recreation and racing (and that’s solely a small taste of what you’ll discover).
Certainly, the studio is waving the co-op flag excessive and I’m all for it because it’s nice to see such an under-served space of gaming getting the eye it deserves.
Evaluation information
Platform reviewed: PS5
Accessible on: PS5, Xbox Sequence X|S, PC
Launch date: March 6, 2025
Getting into the extremely imaginative minds of two writers who get trapped in a simulation of their very own fictionalized sci-fi and fantasy worlds is an ingenious premise for a multiplayer, multi-genre recreation. It’s rather a lot totally different to 2 criminals attempting to flee a jail like in A Way Out or a married couple that will get become their youngster’s toys in It Takes Two, making it really feel like a totally contemporary tackle the co-op journey gaming style that Hazelight is repping.
In Cut up Fiction, you’ll be able to select to play as both a decisive sci-fi lover known as Mio Hudson (voiced by Kaja Chan) or an emphatic fantasy fan generally known as Zoe Foster (voiced by Elsie Bennett). Every character has distinctive talents – for instance, Mio will get to make use of her dragon to glide in a single degree as Zoe makes use of her dragon’s tail to climb up obstacles.
Whereas I performed as Mio, who I feel has the extra thrilling talents, a number of care has been taken to verify whichever character you play as you get an opportunity to expertise a brand new mechanic that’s launched all through the gameplay – whether or not that’s being the one to tilt the display screen to assist your companion navigate throughout a collection of obstacles or transfer objects to create new pathways.
The sport’s nemesis is the CEO of Radar Publishing, who Mio and Zoe uncover is attempting to steal their concepts with out their consent. Nonetheless, earlier than you get to inevitably problem him, you and your co-op companion should face a collection of bosses, together with a rogue AI robotic, an evil cat, and a Hydra of Lerna-type legendary dragon beast, simply to call a number of, as you progress by means of glitches to flee the concept stealing machine. Every battle is totally different and requires a mixture of maneuvers to get previous, which you’re launched to as you proceed by means of every degree, comparable to timed jumps, shapeshifting, dodges, goal taking pictures, and extra.
A multiverse recreation
Regardless of the backwards and forwards between totally different sci-fi and fantasy kinds, neither model suffers from a dev overload with every degree being crafted in completely gorgeous element. Positive, Hazelight has clearly invested extra time and assets into Cut up Fiction this time because it’s noticeably extra polished, however that additionally means it has much less of that rustic indie dev attraction that you just would possibly discover with their earlier two video games or from titles like Campo Santo’s Firewatch or Moon Studio’s Ori and the Blind Forest.
I might say it is virtually actually wanted for a recreation with this a lot ambition, although, and also you’ll see why whenever you get to the ultimate chapter. It’s a AAA recreation from a passionate indie studio, what extra may we ask for?
Finest bit
Cut up Fiction has taken the most effective bits of It Takes Two and A Manner Out, and made a various co-op journey with a dynamic storyline. The ultimate degree ties into the title in a manner that made for a crescendo of a finale that may eternally stick with me.
One facet I like is how Hazelight’s ardour for taking part in video games is fantastically built-in into its homages to the mechanics that make nice video games alongside an enormous quantity of popular culture references and easter eggs. For instance, all through the sport you’ll wallrun and grapple similarly to Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.
Different occasions you’ll end up in a side-scroller with a easy black and white colorway that’s paying homage to Limbo or a 2D platformer that gives you these nostalgic Mega Man and Sonic vibes or a dance battle with a monkey that has a bit the place you play the retro cellular recreation Snake – there’s even a degree the place it’s a must to use portals, which is totally a nod to the most effective co-op recreation ever made: Portal.
This extra consideration turns into a enjoyable exercise to identify in itself and offers a number of the most pleasant moments within the recreation. I cherished guessing which motion pictures a bit of the sport was referencing. Some are extra apparent than others, just like the cutscene that sees you alter into your subsequent character model in true Sailor Moon vogue or the little bit of dialogue the place one of many bosses says one thing about, “You assume darkness is your ally?”, which felt like a nod to The Darkish Knight Rises, whereas others are much less refined like the extent the place you’re lowered by your teammate down an air vent having to dodge lasers that had me feeling like Tom Cruise in Mission Not possible. It feels just like the builders had a number of enjoyable weaving these references into the sport and so they positive make for good sections.
Facet be aware: preserve your eye out for the enjoyable little issues the devs have had enjoyable together with, my private fav was the revolving doorways that will cease if you happen to rushed and tried to push them a pleasant contact that anybody who’s ever been inpatient in a single would have skilled.
My favourite a part of the sport, although, is the chaotic multiverse remaining degree. This utterly blew my thoughts and is a testomony to the artistic genius of Hazelight Studios. It’s like nothing I’ve ever performed earlier than, mixing totally different degree’s skins with gaming parts in a manner I’ve by no means seen performed earlier than.
Bringing new gamers collectively
What I like most about that is {that a} recreation like this has actually broad enchantment – I’m not simply speaking about veteran avid gamers who will get a kick out of all of the previous recreation references but additionally those who the closest they’ve ever gotten to a recreation is one thing like Tetris. When It Takes Two got here out, I seen folks that I by no means would have thought to play video video games, raving concerning the expertise they’d simply had, and to me that’s what makes this much more particular.
You don’t must be a severe gamer to take pleasure in this entertaining journey. It’s so various and combined that I don’t doubt it is going to be performed many occasions time and again. Cut up Fiction is one other nice success in a co-op enviornment Hazelight is starting to dominate.
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Accessibility options
Hazelight Studios has added loads of options to make Cut up Fiction a really frictionless expertise. The checkpointing is beneficiant, with an possibility to leap between saved factors. There are many settings to switch the buttons, together with key binding, digicam rotation help, and lowering enemy injury. Sadly, you’ll be able to’t change the scale of subtitles however you do get the choice so as to add strong backgrounds to the textual content to spice up its visibility.
In the meantime, the voiceovers of the characters in Cut up Fiction have been recorded in seven totally different languages, together with English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese language (simplified) and Japanese. There are additionally 9 totally different language subtitles – German, French, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Japanese, Chinese language (conventional and simplified), and Korean. Like It Takes Two, the sport has an ESRB ranking of stripling for 13-year-olds and upwards, which makes it extra extensively accessible for various ages (in contrast to A Manner Out, which has a mature ranking as a result of its material).
How we reviewed
I performed Cut up Fiction for round 19 hours on a PS5 Pro and nonetheless didn’t earn each trophy. Out of the 21 accessible, I solely obtained three for finishing all aspect tales, ending the sport, and feeding a dragon (though this was purely unintended as I had not seen all of the trophies till after I completed). I don’t doubt that anybody taking extra time may clock up much more hours on this recreation, making it nice worth for the completionists on the market.
The graphics regarded unbelievable on a Sky Glass TV and the audio was totally immersive on a Sonos encompass sound setup made up of the Beam (Gen 2), two Era 100s, and the Sub Mini.