Can you play Split Fiction without playing A Way Out and It Takes Two?

Many players have been asking whether Hazelight Studios' latest co-op adventure, Split Fiction, carries on the narrative threads of A Way Out and It Takes Two or whether it is an independent title. This could partly be due the studio's past performance in crafting emotionally resonant, cooperative gameplay.

To answer the question, Split Fiction isn't a sequel to A Way Out or It Takes Two, so you won't be missing out on any key story beats if you dive straight into it. All three games feature entirely separate stories with different characters, themes, and settings.

But Hazelight's innovative cooperative gameplay, puzzle-solving fun, and cinematic storytelling remain at the heart of all three, so fans of the studio's earlier work might spot some similar mechanics and design decisions.

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Is Split Fiction a sequel to A Way Out and It Takes Two?

Glimpses from Split Fiction (Image via Electronic Arts)

A common vision, not a common tale

Hazelight Studios' Josef Fares has made a niche for himself with his focus on co-op-only games. A Way Out was a filmic prison break thriller, while It Takes Two was a fantastical, emotionally resonant adventure. Meanwhile, Split Fiction is a sci-fi fantasy.

Though differing in many aspects, all three titles feature the studio's characteristic cooperative gameplay but are not narratively linked.

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Not a direct sequel

A still from A Way Out (Image via Electronic Arts)

Consider Split Fiction to be the next iteration of Hazelight's design philosophy and not a sequel to past tales. Every game deals with various themes – A Way Out dealt with trust and betrayal, It Takes Two with relationships and reconciliation, and Split Fiction seems to dive into more epic sci-fi and fantasy themes.

They operate within different realms, appealing to distinctive crowds as the studio's cooperative mechanics are improved.

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Does playing A Way Out and It Takes Two help?

Go co-op in Split Fiction (Image via Electronic Arts)

If you’ve played A Way Out or It Takes Two, you’ll likely feel right at home with Split Fiction’s cooperative mechanics. Hazelight’s games always emphasize:

• Split-screen co-op gameplay that demands teamwork.
• Dynamic traversal and puzzle-solving that evolves throughout the story.
• Cinematic storytelling mixed with interactive gameplay, ensuring both players remain engaged.

That said, Split Fiction introduces fresh mechanics and a different setting, so prior experience isn’t necessary to understand or enjoy the game.

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Targeting a different audience

While A Way Out had a mature, crime-driven story and It Takes Two focused on family-friendly emotional storytelling, Split Fiction appears to be aiming for a more fantasy-driven, core-gamer audience. It isn’t bound to the same thematic elements, making it a fresh experience regardless of whether you’ve played Hazelight’s previous titles.

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Conclusion

You don’t need to play A Way Out or It Takes Two before diving into Split Fiction. The stories are independent, the worlds are unconnected, and the gameplay, while familiar, is not reliant on past experience. However, if you want to appreciate Hazelight’s journey as a studio, playing the earlier games could provide some insight into how their cooperative mechanics have evolved.

Either way, Split Fiction stands on its own as Hazelight’s next co-op adventure.

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