Meet the Split Fiction characters named after director, Josef Fares daughters.
If you have played a Hazelight Studios game before, you would know that they are experts in creating lovable duos. In ‘A Way Out’ you play as Leo Caruso and Vincent Moretti, lovable characters despite being full of faults. In ‘It Takes Two’ you play as married couple May and Cody Goodwin as you navigate a seemingly impending divorce. Split Fiction introduces the player to Mio and Zoe, both unpublished authors that cater to very different demographics, they have been brought to Rader Publishing Headquarters with the promise of a publishing deal. You later delve deeper in to their characters when their plan is thwarted, they get trapped inside a simulation of their stories which the player has to help them escape from.
So, who are Mio and Zoe? Believe it or not, there’s more than one answer. But first, lets start with the game characters Mio Hudson and Zoe Foster.
Mio Hudson is a Science Fiction Author with a reserved yet decisive demeanor. A working-class city girl raised by her father. She isn’t particularly interested in accolades or fame, only money. Her love of sci-fi can be reflected in her narratives, and also the games gameplay. She may wield long energy swords, or drone controlling exosuits, she might even defy gravity a few times.
Zoe Foster is charismatic country girl who writes Fantasy. She wishes to prove to her family that she’s not a failure, that is what incited her publishing dreams, that, and a love for all things fantastical. In gameplay you can see Zoe as a magical flying shapeshifter, she might wield mythical swords, or soar on a kite between floating islands.
Split Fiction was first announced at The Game Awards 2024 by Hazelight Studios lovable and eccentric director, Josef Fares. It is clear that the characters names mean a lot to him, as Mio and Zoe are named after his daughters!
Here you can see the two little protagonists as they are caught hilariously unimpressed in a camera pan of the audience.
Everything to expect with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s brutal Hardcore mode
Warhorse Studios are not the type to shy away from rage quit inducing gameplay; fans of the previous title ‘Kingdom Come: Deliverance’ are well acquainted with its tricky systems and strategic combat, but could their skills be put to the test with the anticipated release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s Hardcore mode? Let’s take a look at what to expect.
On February 27 Warhorse Studios released a new developer live stream detailing the features of the upcoming Hardcore mode. As for when the update including the new feature will drop, Warhorse studios said during the live stream that it is aiming for a March release.
Based on information shared by developers, we can see that the main differing feature between the games Standard and Hardcore modes will be the UI. It will be stripped down and simplified, with map traversal coming down to the players sense of direction. There will be no player marker, no directional markers on the compass, and no fast travel. Though it seems you will have the opportunity to ask npc’s directions, their answers allowing you to see your location momentarily on the map.
Key Features
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Minimal UI
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No player marker
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No compass directions
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No fast travel
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Favors player autonomy and sense of direction
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Mandatory negative perk selection
To further increase the difficulty the players will have to pick three mandatory negative perks that will alter how the world reacts to Henry. In total there are ten perks to choose from:
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Bad luck: You carry less, and when you bend to forage for ingredients you may strain your back.
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Heavy-Footed: Your shoes wear down faster, and you make more noise.
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Numbskull: All your experience gain is 20% slower.
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Somnambulant: You lose energy faster, when you sleep there’s a chance sleepwalking will take you somewhere across the map.
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Hangry Henry: In addition to the usual effects of hunger, starving also reduces your Speech, Charisma, and intimidation. Additionally, all food will satisfy you 20% less, and your digestion increases by 50%.
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Sweaty: You get dirty, and start to smell faster. You can be smelled from twice as far away, limiting stealth. Your stink is also unable to be masked by perfume, therefore you gain no positive effects from using them.
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Picky Eater: Your pickiness causes all food in your inventory to spoil 25% faster. Due to your fussiness gutting animals only gets you half the meat and other items dropped by animals.
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Bashful: You can’t ask people for directions so its harder to traverse the landscape. You are also, unfortunately too timid to request bathhouse services, and your ability to gain Speech experience is slower.
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Punchable Face: Coming across travellers on the road is more dangerous. Enemies never surrender and are more confident, making fights a risky choice.
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Menace: Once you are branded for a crime, the effect is permanent. Any serious crime will result in instant execution, and guards will punish you with more severity.
Warhorse studios are offering an ambitious and creative alternative to difficulty selection. A lot of games simply alter combat difficulty resulting in the enemy becoming a damage sponge, but Warhorses stripped UI and perk system offer a new way to have fun with the game, boosting replay ability and offering new build opportunities.