Split Fiction vs It Takes Two: Which Should You Play First?

Two games. Same studio. Both co-op only. Both critically acclaimed. Both built around two players who need each other to finish. 

If you are standing between Split Fiction and It Takes Two trying to pick one, you are in a good position. Either game is an excellent choice. But they are not the same, and which one you start with can shape how much you enjoy the other. 

This guide breaks down the key differences so you can make the right call. 

Split Fiction vs It Takes Two at a Glance 

The Story: Which Has the Better Narrative? 

Both games are emotionally intelligent in ways that most co-op titles are not. But they approach emotion differently. 

It Takes Two tells a story about two people who used to know each other completely and no longer do. Cody and May are married, on the verge of divorce, transformed into dolls by their daughter's wish. The emotional weight comes from loss and recognition. You are watching two people try to remember something they had. 

Split Fiction is the opposite. Mio and Zoe start as complete strangers with nothing in common except a shared disaster. Their relationship builds from scratch across the game. What lands at the end has to be earned entirely from zero. 

Neither approach is better. It Takes Two hits harder emotionally because the personal stakes are higher from the start. Split Fiction earns its emotional moments more gradually and arguably more satisfyingly because of that. 

If you want to feel something fast, It Takes Two. If you want the slow build, Split Fiction. 

For more on the It Takes Two story, see our breakdown of Cody and May and why it works as a couples game. For Mio and Zoe, see our Split Fiction character guide. 

The Characters: Cody & May vs Mio & Zoe 

Cody and May have a history together. Their dynamic starts in conflict because something real was lost between them. That makes their relationship immediately loaded. Every chapter puts new pressure on who they are to each other. 

Mio and Zoe come in as opposites who have no history. Mio is a sci-fi writer: precise, controlled, and reluctant to trust. Zoe is a fantasy writer: warm, instinctive, and open. The friction between them is about worldview rather than personal history, which gives the game a slightly lighter touch even when things get emotionally serious. 

Both duos are designed so that neither player ever feels like the second character. Both have equal mechanical importance, equal story weight, and equal memorable moments. 

Which duo you connect with more tends to reflect which relationship dynamic resonates: the couple trying to find each other again, or the strangers trying to find each other for the first time. 

The Gameplay: Which Is More Creative? 

This is the category where the games are most similar and hardest to separate. 

Both constantly introduce completely new mechanics. Neither repeats a major gameplay idea. Both feel like a series of shorter games stitched together by a shared story. 

The differences are in degree and tone. 

Split Fiction is more mechanically ambitious. Six chapters, each set in a completely different world with completely different rules. The optional side stories add full self-contained adventures on top of that. The game never really settles into a groove. 

It Takes Two has more tonal variety within its chapters. One moment you are in a toy-filled bedroom fighting a vacuum cleaner. The next you are in a quiet snow globe scene that catches you off guard emotionally. The swings between funny and sincere are more dramatic in It Takes Two. 

Both approaches work. Split Fiction rewards players who want constant novelty and mechanical invention. It Takes Two rewards players who want those highs to mean more because of what surrounds them. 

For a deep dive into what Split Fiction specifically does better, see 7 Things Split Fiction Does Better Than Most Co-Op Games. 

The Length: How Do They Compare? 

Both games run 12 to 15 hours for most players on the main story, so there is no meaningful difference. 

Split Fiction has optional side stories that add several more hours for completionists. It Takes Two has over 25 hidden mini-games scattered across its chapters. 

Neither game pads its runtime. Every hour is used. 

For the full breakdown: how long It Takes Two takes and how long Split Fiction takes. 

Platforms: Where Can You Play Each? 

This is the most practical difference between the two games and often determines the decision before anything else does. 

It Takes Two runs on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, all Nintendo Switch versions, and PC. It has the widest platform reach of any Hazelight game. 

Are Split Fiction and It Takes Two connected? 

No. They are completely standalone games with no shared characters, world, or story. Both are made by the same studio under the same co-op-only philosophy, but you can play them in any order. 

How long is Split Fiction compared to It Takes Two? 

Both are similar in length. Split Fiction takes most players 12 to 15 hours for the main story. It Takes Two takes 12 to 16 hours. Split Fiction also has optional side stories that add extra time for completionists. 

Do you need cross-play to play together? 

Only if you and your co-op partner are on different platforms. It Takes Two requires both players to be on the same platform family. Split Fiction supports full cross-platform play, so you can co-op across PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Switch 2. 

What are the games like It Takes Two? 

The closest games to It Takes Two are Split Fiction and A Way Out. Both are made by the same studio, Hazelight, with the same co-op-only design philosophy. Split Fiction is more mechanically ambitious and slightly longer. A Way Out is shorter and grittier. See our full guide to all Hazelight games for the complete picture. 

Does the order you play them matter? 

No. Both games are fully standalone. Most players find It Takes Two slightly more emotionally impactful as a first Hazelight game, but the experience is excellent either way.