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Releasing a follow-up to 2021’s critically acclaimed It Takes Two was by no means going to be straightforward. However Swedish Hazelight Studios proved it was greater than as much as the problem when it launched co-op motion journey Cut up Fiction for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC in March 2025.
Assessment information
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Change 2 (and PS5)
Out there on: Nintendo Change 2, PS5, Xbox Collection X|S, PC
Launch date: June 5, 2025 for Change 2 (March 6, 2025, on different platforms)
Cut up Fiction took the lauded co-op expertise of It Takes Two to a brand new degree, providing extra diversified environments and gameplay and much more explosive (actually, at instances) motion. Now, the hit co-op journey has been ported to the Nintendo Switch 2, releasing as a part of the brand new console’s launch lineup alongside titles akin to Deltarune, Mario Kart World, and Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition. However does this Change 2 port of the co-op game handle to take care of the magic?
Principally, sure. Cut up Fiction on Change 2’s brilliantly enjoyable, character-driven story and total gameplay mechanics stay the identical, however there is a distinctive drop in visible and efficiency high quality in comparison with the PS5. Pair this with a mess of complicated native and on-line co-op play choices and a less-than-optimal Tabletop mode expertise and there is some irritating niggles to this Change 2 port.
Nevertheless, total, it is a stable port that is, for essentially the most half, well-suited to the Change 2’s versatility. Simply do not anticipate the identical degree of polish as the opposite platforms.
Worlds collide
Cut up Fiction begins at Rader Publishing, the place fantasy author Zoe and sci-fi author Mio are summoned, together with others, beneath the premise that their tales are lastly going to be printed. What CEO J.D. Rader has up his sleeve, although, is much from a sit-down chat and contract signing. As an alternative, he introduces “The Machine,” which might create an entire simulation of a author’s world. Whereas everybody is happy on the prospect of leaping into their tales, with every changing into encased of their particular person bubble simulation, Mio is (rightfully) suspicious of the expertise and will get in a combat with the employees, solely to fall into Zoe’s bubble.
Mio spawns in Zoe’s magical, fantasy world, a lot to each’s chagrin, alongside a suspicious-looking glitch. When the writers method the glitch, they’re pulled into Mio’s story, a chaotic sci-fi thriller filled with explosives, dogfights, and lasers.
It is the proper setup for what it’s best to anticipate in Cut up Fiction. With every degree, you soar from Zoe’s enchanting fantasy world to Mio’s explosive, sci-fi world – one minute you are flying dragons and the following you are lobbing bombs in a cyber recreation present.
As you’d anticipate, Mio and Zoe are, on the floor, polar opposites. From the beginning, Zoe is painted as an optimistic, bubbly daydreamer, whereas Mio is surly, suspicious, and sarcastic. However, as soon as they understand Rader’s intentions are (as Mio predicted) sinister, they should work collectively to search out all of the glitches and escape the simulation.
We put a bit of little bit of ourselves into every thing we write. Via their journey, Zoe and Mio uncover that is extra true than they thought. Their friendship grows as they arrive face-to-face with the surreal, humorous, magical, and darker facets of their lives which have made their approach into their work – permitting them to see they’ve extra in frequent than initially thought.
This character progress is well-paced, with some emotional twists that you’re going to possible see coming a mile off, because the writing is not wonderful. Nevertheless it’s the visible interpretations, the worlds, and the way they painting the story’s emotional beats that hit hardest. The metaphors could also be on the nostril at instances, however they do provide help to to know each writers with out the necessity for phrases.
However don’t fret, this is not a heavy journey. As an alternative, Cut up Fiction rigorously walks the road between thrilling motion and laugh-out-loud silliness. Its gameplay, too, retains you guessing. As with It Takes Two, Hazelight is not afraid to experiment with totally different genres and gameplay mechanics right here, throwing in platforming, capturing, puzzles, and extra, ensuing within the excellent system for co-op companions who battle to agree on what to play.
A transparent break up
Whereas Cut up Fiction, at its core, is a good recreation, its Change 2 port is a noticeable downgrade from its PS5 counterpart – and that is clear from its opening splash display screen exhibiting the title. In TV (docked) mode, the splash display screen’s blacks are blocky, and the body charges on the animation are noticeably decrease than on PS5. Even sitting on the primary menu, I noticed points earlier than taking part in, with the shadow renders on the Rader Publishing signal flickering. In-game, the visible drawbacks are obvious, too.
Whereas the cutscenes look alright, the visuals are significantly much less polished than on PS5, with character hair textures a bit frazzled on the ends and the graphics total wanting much less refined and detailed. It is not an enormous shock, given Cut up Fiction on Change 2 runs at 1080p/30fps, a drastic drop from the 4K/60fps of the PS5. If you happen to’ve not performed Cut up Fiction on one other platform, you might not discover these points, however you may possible nonetheless clock a number of.
Throughout precise gameplay, there’s sometimes a transparent blur when characters transfer rapidly, and the shadow rendering is lower than optimum, leading to darkish, poorly lit areas and flicking shadows. Whereas the worlds and characters nonetheless look good, once more, they’re nowhere close to as spectacular as on PS5. The visible refinement is not fairly there, which may end up in Mio wanting a bit like a cartoon character at instances. For essentially the most half, this is not an enormous challenge, however the blur and darker areas could make it barely tougher to navigate sure areas the place cautious footing is crucial.
That is significantly irritating in Tabletop mode. Whereas the overall visible and efficiency aren’t so apparent when taking part in in Handheld and Tabletop mode, the shadows are a killer. That is primarily as a result of taking part in Cut up Fiction in Tabletop mode is a less-than-optimal expertise. Firstly, it’s because it is actually exhausting to see what is going on on in your aspect of the display screen anyway when there are two of you gathered across the display screen. In TV mode, I can battle at instances to maintain monitor of my character and their footing, however on a smaller display screen, it is a a lot greater problem, particularly while you hit these darker areas.
My associate and I struggled to play Tabletop in our front room, pondering if our 30+-year-old eyes have been in charge whereas additionally questioning how anybody might play optimally on the go. If we struggled in our front room, huddled up on our couch to try to see the display screen, how possible is it to play in an airport or on a practice? That is exacerbated by the truth that you can not play Cut up Fiction with only one set of Pleasure-Con 2 controllers, like you possibly can with different Nintendo co-op video games. As an alternative, you want to personal two units of controllers to play. That is nice if in case you have one other set, however lower than superb if you end up needing to shell out $95 / £75 on prime of the sport value to play with a pal regionally.
The audio, nonetheless, in TV mode and Tabletop mode is impressively loud and detailed, particularly for the latter. So, a minimum of that is one thing.
Play good with others
The place Cut up Fiction confused the heck out of me was its quite a few co-op play choices. Making an attempt to work out who I might play with regionally and on-line and on what platform critically harm my head (even with the knowledge bins beside some). So, here is what I finally labored out.
Enjoying sofa co-op with a pal is simple; simply choose the ‘Play Native’ possibility. The ‘Play Native Wi-fi’ possibility has three selections: ‘Host by way of Native Wi-fi,’ ‘Discover and be part of by way of Native Wi-fi,’ and ‘Host a recreation utilizing GameShare.’ Internet hosting and becoming a member of native wi-fi solely helps you to play Cut up Fiction with a pal on Nintendo Change 2 who’s in your neighborhood, and would not appear to require an web connection. It does, nonetheless, appear to require your pal to personal Cut up Fiction.
If you wish to play Cut up Fiction with a pal on the unique Nintendo Change, you possibly can’t do that on-line. As an alternative, it’s essential use the GameShare choice to stream it to them (the standard will drop a bit extra), however they have to be in your neighborhood. It’s also possible to use this selection to play with a pal on Change 2, the place you possibly can make the most of the console’s GameChat characteristic, permitting you to see and converse to your pals whilst you play. Native GameShare would not appear to require an web connection, nor does the opposite individual want the sport, so it is in all probability the higher possibility over native wi-fi.
Enjoying on-line, you may make use of Cut up Fiction‘s Buddy’s Go to play the total recreation on-line with a pal who would not personal it. All it’s essential do is choose ‘Play On-line’, and you may invite your Change 2 pal. It’s also possible to crossplay with these on different platforms (PS5, PC, and Xbox Collection X|S) by getting into their EA account identify. In case you are utilizing the Buddy’s Go, your pal might want to obtain the Buddy’s Go to their console earlier than you possibly can play.
The variety of co-op play choices could be a bit overwhelming, and taking part in with a Change 2 or current-gen platform participant is fairly easy, however I used to be disenchanted to not be capable of play on-line with an unique Change pal.
A stable however less-than-optimal expertise
Cut up Fiction affords the identical thrilling enjoyable on Change 2 as on different platforms, however do not anticipate the identical degree of polish right here. Whereas Tabletop mode, in concept, affords the chance to take your co-op playthrough on the go, it isn’t essentially the most optimum expertise, and you will possible discover taking part in in TV mode extra pleasurable.
Total, it is a fairly stable Change 2 port, with some annoying niggles, however I counsel selecting up this co-adventure on one other platform for the very best expertise all-round.
Do you have to play Cut up Fiction Change 2?
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Accessibility options
Cut up Fiction affords a stable collection of accessibility options. Within the Choices menu, there may be an Accessibility tab that means that you can reconfigure the controls for Mio and Zoe. The choices embrace the power to vary button-bashing prompts and toggle spinning/wiggling prompts, so that you simply want to carry the button, or they full robotically, the choice to activate subtitles and closed captioning, the power to skip gameplay areas, and to cut back enemy injury.
It’s also possible to remap controls and make changes to the digital camera and controller rumble beneath different tabs on this part.
How I reviewed Cut up Fiction on Change 2
I performed Cut up Fiction for roughly 18 hours throughout PS5 and Nintendo Change 2. Throughout my playtime, I accomplished the primary story in addition to all of the aspect quests I might discover. Having performed the sport on each platforms, I used to be capable of evaluate and distinction the expertise on PS5 and Change 2, primarily specializing in the Change 2 model’s efficiency, visuals, audio, and total expertise.
I reviewed Cut up Fiction on Nintendo Switch 2, taking part in native co-op with my fiancé utilizing a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller and a set of Pleasure-Con 2 controllers. We primarily performed within the console’s TV mode with my Samsung Q80T QLED TV, but in addition performed in Tabletop mode to check what impact this mode had on the expertise. I examined the GameShare perform by sharing my Change 2 recreation with my Nintendo Switch Lite and the crossplay performance by starting a recreation between my Change 2 and PS5.
I additionally examined whether or not I might play Cut up Fiction on-line with somebody with an unique Nintendo Switch by attempting to GameShare and on-line play with a pal (this did not work).
Cut up Fiction on Change 2, first reviewed June 2025