Who Are Mio and Zoe? Meet Split Fiction's Dynamic Duo

Get to know the unlikely pair at the heart of this highly anticipated cooperative adventure

The Hazelight Tradition of Character Building

If you've played other titles from Hazelight Studios, you're already familiar with their approach to character design. From Leo and Vincent in A Way Out who become partners to escape prison, to May and Cody in It Takes Two trying to save their marriage, Hazelight excels at creating characters with distinctive personalities and compelling growth arcs.

In Split Fiction, creative director Josef Fares and his team continue this tradition with two brand new protagonists—Mio and Zoe. Interestingly, during The Game Awards in December 2024, Fares revealed that these characters were named after his own two daughters!

First Meeting: The RED Publishing Company's Scheme

Mio and Zoe's story begins at the headquarters of RED Publishing Company. These two unpublished authors are lured there by the promise of a lucrative publishing contract, each hoping to fulfill their writing dreams. However, things take a dark turn—they are connected to a device called the "Story Machine," which is actually designed to steal creative ideas.

In an accident, Mio and Zoe simultaneously become trapped in a simulation of their own stories. Worse still, their respective sci-fi and fantasy novels begin to interweave, creating bizarre and dangerous new environments. Now, these two writers with radically different personalities must work together to survive their intertwined story worlds and find a way to escape.

Mio Hudson: Creator of Sci-Fi Worlds

Background and Personality

• Profession: Science fiction writer
• Character traits: Conservative, decisive, pragmatic, introverted
• Upbringing: Urban environment, raised with her father
• Writing motivation: Writes for survival rather than fame or recognition

Mio grew up in the city with her father, barely making ends meet over the past few years. Her love for science fiction shines through in her works: settings typically include neon-lit cyberpunk cities, harsh future weapon factories, or the vast coldness of outer space.

IGN's preview notes that Mio's personality showcases "calm pragmatism and decisive decision-making," allowing her to quickly analyze and find solutions in crisis situations.

In-Game Abilities

In the simulated story worlds of Split Fiction, Mio's sci-fi elements manifest through various skills and equipment:

• Wielding sharp energy swords as a gravity-defying ninja
• Wearing advanced mech suits to control drones
• Donning futuristic battle armor to fire dual laser blasters
• Piloting anti-gravity bikes and other futuristic transport

GameSpot's preview points out that Mio's sci-fi abilities "create visual aesthetics reminiscent of Star Wars and Blade Runner," bringing a unique sci-fi atmosphere to the game.

Zoe Foster: Weaver of Fantasy Tales

Background and Personality

• Profession: Fantasy writer
• Character traits: Charismatic, empathetic, optimistic, extroverted
• Upbringing: Rural countryside
• Writing motivation: Hopes to prove her worth through writing and solve her problems

Zoe is a cheerful country girl eager to prove to her family that she isn't a failure. Fantasy is her preferred genre, with her works featuring various fictional stories, including escaping towns occupied by trolls, battling through forests during an ice age, and protecting the last dragons from extinction.

PC Gamer's hands-on report mentions that Zoe's character is "full of creativity and emotional intelligence, able to find beauty and hope even in the darkest situations."

In-Game Abilities

In the game world, Zoe's fantasy elements are expressed through these special abilities:

• Transforming into a fairy as a magical shapeshifter
• Wielding mythical swords while riding dragons into epic battles
• Using magical kites to soar between floating islands
• Casting various elemental spells to manipulate objects in the environment

According to VentureBeat's reporting, Zoe's fantasy abilities let players experience "a magical atmosphere akin to a fusion of Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones," creating game scenarios that contrast sharply with Mio's sci-fi world.

The Collision of Two Worlds: The Power of Cooperation

The core gaming experience in Split Fiction revolves around the interaction and cooperation between Mio and Zoe. As described on Hazelight Studios' official website: "Mio and Zoe don't get along at first, but soon enough they become each other's only hopes. This journey will throw unexpected twists at them and if they want to make it through, they'll need to have each other's backs."

The game employs Hazelight's signature split-screen cooperative mode, requiring two players to work together to solve puzzles, overcome challenges, and advance the story. Mio's sci-fi abilities and Zoe's fantasy skills complement each other, creating a rich and diverse gaming experience.

According to Polygon's preview, the relationship development between Mio and Zoe in-game "showcases Hazelight's talent for emotional storytelling, as the two characters evolve from strangers to friends, and perhaps something closer, as the game progresses."

The Diversity of Game Worlds

Thanks to Mio and Zoe's contrasting creative styles, Split Fiction's game worlds are exceptionally rich and diverse. Players will experience in a single game:

• Escaping from a sun going supernova
• Challenging a monkey to a dance battle
• Trying out cool hoverboard tricks
• Fighting an evil kitty
• Riding various vehicles, from anti-gravity bikes to a sandshark

This fusion of sci-fi and fantasy elements creates unprecedented gaming experiences, with each new level bringing surprises for players and their partners.

Conclusion: Who Will You Choose?

With Mio and Zoe having such distinctly different personalities and abilities, players may make their character choice based on their own gaming style or personal preferences. Whether you favor Mio's calm demeanor and technology or are drawn to Zoe's enthusiasm and magic, Split Fiction will provide a memorable cooperative adventure experience.

So, the tricky question is: between you and your gaming partner, who will play as Mio, and who will play as Zoe?