Undoubtedly, crafting something of this magnitude is a colossal endeavor. Split Fiction seems to roll out innovative mechanics every quarter of an hour, only to swap them out for fresh ones. Yet, there’s an expectation that each innovation should be polished and well-executed.
“While playing Split Fiction, there’s a segment where you get to soar on dragons—just designing one of those dragons took us about eight months,” mentioned one developer. “Early in my career, many teammates would question, ‘Why are we dedicating so much effort to something that lasts a mere 10 minutes?'”
“But here’s the thing. In filmmaking, if a scene turns out phenomenal and costs a fortune, you don’t recycle it purely because of the price tag. I often feel that such exhilarating moments would lose their magic if overused. There’s this prevailing notion in gaming that a high production cost justifies multiple reuses. But does it really have to be that way? Repetition diminishes the impact of that unique, first-time experience.”
Split Fiction faithfully applies this philosophy by offering vast realms of completely optional content. Unlike It Takes Two, which featured mini-games scattered throughout, these segments—discoverable via portals—are far more elaborate.
“In Split Fiction, these aren’t just brief interludes; they’re fully fleshed-out worlds with their own mechanics, bosses, and stunning visuals. It’s like discovering an entirely new game tucked within the main storyline.”
