5 Best Video Games Like Split Fiction

Hazelight Studios has become widely acclaimed for creating exciting cooperative multiplayer games like 2025's "Split Fiction." The game blends science fiction and fantasy aesthetics as it follows two authors who are trapped in the worlds of their respective stories. Working together, they navigate the lushly imagined landscapes searching for a way to return to reality. The game is a multiplayer-only experience (either locally or online), encouraging tight coordination and teamwork through precise platforming.

Of course, "Split Fiction" is far from the only story-driven co-op game out there — in fact, it's not even the only one developed by Hazelight. There are plenty of engaging, friendship-affirming co-op games that reward communication and timing between pairs of players working together, whether that be a friend, a sibling, or a partner. Some co-op games are infamous for starting arguments, but the best of them will strengthen your relationships with your friends and family. Here are the five best video games like "Split Fiction" to play together.

The first game developed by Hazelight Studios, 2018's "A Way Out" follows prison convicts Leo and Vincent, who work together to escape from incarceration and stay on the run on the outside. It's a mix of stealth and puzzle-solving gameplay, as well as other minigame-oriented sequences. Working together, the pair try to recover a valuable stolen diamond only for the dark truth about each of their pasts to become uncovered.

"A Way Out" was written and directed by co-op king Josef Fares, who founded Hazelight. The game is much more mature than the studio's more recent work, making it perfect for grown-up gamers looking for something to play together. During a playthrough of "A Way Out," players get a real feel for its characters and the moments that informed their complicated dynamic. This is a dark crime thriller that packs an emotional punch.

2016's "Unravel" is a single-player game, but its sequel, 2018 's "Unravel Two," expanded the experience with a two-player co-op mode. It follows a red Yarny (sentient creatures made from yarn) that gets separated from its owner in a shipwreck and is washed ashore. The red Yarny befriends a blue Yarny, with their friendship forming a bright spark that accompanies them on their quest. Traveling through a strange land together, the two Yarnys rescue children from abusive adults and ward off the looking darkness by reigniting a nearby lighthouse.

Despite some of the darker elements of the story, this side-scroller is ultimately a family-friendly game — in fact, "Unravel Two" won Family Game of the Year at the DICE Awards. Its deeper themes of abuse and depression are somewhat covert, buried within a cozy platforming adventure. More than just co-op platforming, the gameplay involves light puzzle-solving elements with a steady learning curve as players progress. If you're looking for something that's chill but challenging to play with a friend or partner, this is the game for you.

Sackboy made the leap to 3D from side-scrolling with 2020's "Sackboy: A Big Adventure," which won Best Family Game at the BAFTA Game Awards. The game opens with the villainous Vex attacking Craftworld to remake, aiming to remake it in his own sinister image with his Topsy-Turvy machine. Stealing the schematics to Vex's doomsday device, Sackboy sets out to find a way to destroy it and restore the world to normality.

"Sackboy: A Big Adventure" is the most ambitious game in the wider LittleBigPlanet franchise to date. The jump to 3D is handled seamlessly and the level of environmental interaction is legitimately impressive. Similarly, the addition of co-op multiplayer with this new perspective is well-developed, making the game much more fun to play with a partner or group of friends – you can be joined by up to three additional players for either local or online co-op.

There have been many great LEGO video games over the years. This extends to titles based on licensed properties, such as the "LEGO Harry Potter" games and "LEGO Marvel Super Heroes" (which is one of a handful of superhero video games you need to play before you die). LEGO games often feature a strong co-op multiplayer gameplay component, but 2025's "LEGO Voyagers" took things to a whole other level. The game isn't based on an existing property, telling its own original story. Players control a red brick and a blue brick who work together to investigate an abandoned spaceship, interacting with the environment as only LEGO pieces can.

With a largely dialogue-less presentation and beautifully rendered environments to traverse, "LEGO Voyagers" definitely feels like something special. It evokes Annapurna Interactive games like "Journey," offering a stripped back but thoroughly rewarding experience. This isn't a title featuring complex gameplay mechanics or a deep narrative, but rather something where the beauty is in the simplicity and teamwork is key. One of the best LEGO games in years, "LEGO Voyagers" is perfect for all ages and can be played with friends locally or online. If you're a fan of "Split Fiction" who also loves LEGO, you won't want to miss it.

We've already covered some award-winning games on this list, but "It Takes Two" pips the lot when it comes to critical acclaim, having scooped Game of the Year at both the DICE Awards and The Game Awards. Another co-op masterpiece from Hazelight Studios, the game centers on married couple Cody and May, who have hit hard times and are planning on getting a divorce. The news comes as a devastating blow to their young daughter Rose, who magically and inadvertently causes her parents to become trapped as handmade dolls resembling them. With the help of Dr. Hakim (an anthropomorphic relationship therapy book), Cody and May work together to return home and find a way to reverse the accidental spell, rediscovering their love for each other in the process.

Like "Split Fiction," "It Takes Two" is strictly co-op only, speaking directly to the game's themes and intended mechanics. The story plays out like a modern day fairy tale and is surprisingly emotional at times, delving deep into its complicated family dynamic. Complementing this is optimized co-op gameplay, including engaging puzzles and a variety of mechanics to keep the experience fresh as players make their way across the suburban household setting. Undoubtedly one of the best co-op games that you can play with a friend or partner, "It Takes Two" is as magical as its premise suggests, and it's also surprisingly funny. You'll find yourself laughing as you learn to love the characters, especially Dr. Hakim.