12 Games Like Split Fiction and It Takes Two on Steam

Games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two have a hard act to follow: every level is built around two people who can’t finish without each other, and the rules keep changing before any one trick gets old. If you loved trading abilities with your partner, laughing at a botched jump and reaching a boss fight neither of you saw coming, these Steam picks hold on to the most of that feeling.

What Split Fiction and It Takes Two do so well

Both games come from Hazelight Studios and are published by Electronic Arts on Steam. They share a design idea that few studios attempt: the co-op isn’t an extra mode bolted onto a solo game, it is the whole game. Before looking at alternatives, it helps to name what you are trying to recreate.

It Takes Two

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Steam lists It Takes Two as released on Mar 25, 2021. You play Cody and May, a couple on the edge of splitting up who have been turned into dolls by a spell, and the only way home is to work together. Each level hands the two of you different, connected abilities, then throws them away for something new. One chapter has you fighting gangster squirrels, another has you DJing a nightclub or bobsleighing through a snow globe. Steam lists online co-op, shared/split-screen co-op (two players on one screen, often called couch co-op) and Remote Play Together. The store page also offers a Friend’s Pass: only one of you needs to own the game, and your partner joins for free. Its store page notes it won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021.

Split Fiction

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Split Fiction, released on Mar 6, 2025 according to Steam, follows Mio and Zoe, two writers with opposite tastes (one writes sci-fi, the other fantasy) who get trapped inside their own stories by a machine built to steal their ideas. You jump between those worlds, so one minute you are taming dragons and the next you are fighting as cyber ninjas or dodging hover cars thrown by a robot parking attendant. Steam lists online co-op, shared/split-screen co-op, cross-platform multiplayer, full controller support and Remote Play Together.

So the best games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two tend to share three traits: both players have a real job, the game asks you to coordinate rather than just play side by side, and there is either a story or a steady stream of surprises to keep you talking. No other game matches Hazelight’s genre-hopping exactly, so each pick below leans into one or two of those traits. If you want an even longer list, our games like It Takes Two roundup goes wider.

Story-driven games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two

Start here if the characters and the emotional arc were what kept you playing past midnight.

A Way Out

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This is the most direct match among games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two, because it is Hazelight’s own earlier work, from the creators of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Each of you controls one of two prisoners, the hardened Leo or the quick-witted newcomer Vincent, in a reluctant alliance to break out. The store page describes how the breakout turns into an unpredictable, emotional adventure, and it is strictly a two-player experience.

What you do: plan and carry out an escape together, then keep running as the story widens. The tone is grittier and more grounded than the cartoon worlds of It Takes Two, so it suits pairs who loved the dramatic beats more than the slapstick. Steam lists online co-op, shared/split-screen co-op, full controller support and Remote Play Together, and the store page highlights playing through Remote Play Together.

Haven

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If the relationship at the heart of It Takes Two is what stuck with you, Haven puts a couple front and centre. Yu and Kay have run away to a forgotten planet to be together, and you play both of them at once as they settle into an unknown world.

What you do: glide across a fragmented, unstable landscape, gather parts to fix your ship, cook meals, craft and collect resources, and fight off those trying to tear the couple apart by synchronising your actions with good timing and rhythm. It is an RPG adventure, so expect a slower, cosier pace than Split Fiction’s set pieces, backed by a soundtrack from the musician DANGER. Steam lists single-player and shared/split-screen co-op, plus Remote Play Together, which makes it a lovely pick for couples on one sofa.

Unravel Two

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Unravel Two, from Coldwood Interactive, is the gentlest pick here. You each control a Yarny, a little creature made of yarn, and the game is built around two of them always travelling together, solving tricky trials and crossing landscapes inspired by real Scandinavian locations.

What you do: swing, climb and help each other through natural landscapes and city spaces as a cold world slowly comes back to life. It suits a partner who is newer to games, or anyone who wants a calm evening rather than boss fights. Note the modes: Steam lists single-player (you can control both Yarnys yourself) and local shared/split-screen co-op, with no online co-op listed, though Remote Play Together is supported.

Co-op puzzle games that make you think as a pair

Plenty of games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two are at their best in the moments where you stop, look at a room and work out the solution out loud. These three make that the main event.

Portal 2

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Portal 2 has a full single-player campaign, but the reason it belongs here is its two-player co-op mode, which has its own separate story, test chambers and two new player characters. As Valve’s store page puts it, success means not just acting cooperatively but thinking cooperatively.

What you do: place portals, link your solutions to your partner’s and puzzle through the test chambers of Aperture Science. If your favourite parts of Hazelight’s games were the puzzle rooms where both abilities had to click, this delivers that for a whole campaign. Steam lists online co-op and shared/split-screen co-op, Steam Workshop support and a level editor, and the store page highlights designing co-op puzzles for you and your friends. It runs on Windows and Linux, and Remote Play Together is listed too.

Operation: Tango

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Its store page opens with “it takes two to save the world,” and the fit is real. One of you is the Agent, the other the Hacker, and you see the mission from different points of view. This is asymmetric co-op: each player has information the other lacks, so the whole game lives in your conversation.

What you do: investigate, hack and infiltrate on missions across a high-tech near-future world, with puzzles focused on communication rather than raw difficulty. It suits talkative duos who loved calling out plans to each other. Know the requirements: it is online co-op only, needs a microphone, and has a Friend Pass so a friend can play with you for free. The store page says cross-platform play is enabled, and a free update added a Challenge mode with new puzzles.

We Were Here Forever

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You and a fellow prisoner wake up in the dungeons of Castle Rock, an icy Antarctic realm, and have to explore the castle, uncover hidden riddles and plot your escape together. The store page promises a journey from the prison through royal halls to an eerie graveyard and the dark waters of a foundry, with choices along the way.

What you do: explore, piece together clues and solve linked puzzles as a pair. The mood is darker and more mysterious than anything in Split Fiction, so it is a good answer for couples who want something a bit spooky without full horror. Steam lists online co-op, cross-platform multiplayer and subtitle options; there is no couch mode listed, so plan to play on two machines. If you want to go fully scary, our co-op horror games like Lethal Company list picks up from here.

Physics platformers that tie two players together

Some games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two get their laughs from controls rather than story. In these, the way you move is the joke and the challenge at the same time.

Biped

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Biped, from NEXT Studios, stars two little robots, Aku and Sila. You control each robot’s two legs separately, with the two sticks or the left and right mouse buttons, so simply walking takes concentration, and coordinating with your partner takes more.

What you do: walk, slide, operate machinery and cut wood through forests, valleys, waterfalls and icy mountains on the way to planetary beacons, collecting treasure for goofy hats so you can match your partner’s look. It is a strong pick for families or mixed-skill pairs. Steam lists single-player, online co-op, shared/split-screen co-op, cross-platform multiplayer, Steam Workshop, a level editor and Remote Play Together.

Bread & Fred

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Two penguins attached to each other must climb a snowy mountain, and if one falls, both do. That shared risk makes Bread & Fred one of the purest two-player games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two, even though it is far harder.

What you do: time jumps, swing your partner across gaps using momentum, and cling to walls for a few seconds while one of you anchors to the ground. Fall and you can tumble a long way back down. It suits pairs who enjoyed the tougher platforming sections and can laugh off setbacks; if precise climbing is your thing, our platformer games like Celeste list is your next stop. Steam lists single-player, online co-op, shared/split-screen co-op and Remote Play Together.

ibb & obb

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ibb & obb is a two-player co-op game set in a puzzle world where gravity runs both up and down. You can only succeed by working closely together, which makes it feel like one of Hazelight’s ability chapters stretched into a full game.

What you do: fall up, jump down and work through 15 levels of double-gravity puzzles, plus 8 hidden worlds for players who want a stiffer test, all set to a warm electronic soundtrack by Kettel. It is short, calm and clever, ideal for a weekend. The store page describes local couch play or matching up online, and Steam lists shared/split screen, cross-platform multiplayer and Remote Play Together. It runs on Windows and Linux.

Co-op games like It Takes Two for bigger groups

Hazelight’s games are strictly for two, but sometimes a third or fourth friend wants in. These keep the teamwork while making room for more players.

Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy

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Frozenbyte’s Trine 5 reunites Amadeus the Wizard, Zoya the Thief and Pontius the Knight against a Clockwork army. Each hero plays differently, so combining their skills to solve puzzles echoes the way Cody and May’s powers interlock.

What you do: cross 2.5D landscapes (3D-looking worlds played on a side-on path), fight and solve physics puzzles. The store page says the puzzle difficulty system adapts the challenge to the number of players, which helps if your group changes size between sessions. Steam lists single-player, online co-op, LAN co-op and shared/split-screen co-op for up to four players, plus Remote Play Together.

Overcooked! 2

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Overcooked! 2 trades story for pure communication under pressure, which is why it comes up so often in talk about games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two. You run kitchens that shift and evolve while orders pile up.

What you do: chop, cook and serve sushi, cakes, burgers and pizzas, throw ingredients across the room to save time, and travel by teleporter and moving platform through kitchens on boats, in magic schools and on alien planets. It suits groups who loved the frantic minigame energy of It Takes Two. Steam lists couch or online co-op for up to four players, versus modes, single-player and Remote Play Together, on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime

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In this 1 to 4 player couch co-op shooter, you all crew one massive neon battleship. Everyone fills an important role at all times, dashing between turrets, lasers, shields and thrusters.

What you do: explore a colourful galaxy, rescue kidnapped space-bunnies from the forces of Anti-Love, and combine space-gems to customise your ship. Randomised level layouts mean each session explores fresh areas. A solo player gets an AI space-pet as partner. Steam lists local shared/split-screen co-op and Remote Play Together, but no online co-op, so it shines on one sofa.

How to choose your next co-op game together

A list of games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two only helps if the pick suits how you two actually play. Three questions sort it out quickly.

Couch or online?

If you share a sofa, almost everything here works. If you live apart, check the modes in the table: Operation: Tango and We Were Here Forever are online only, while Unravel Two, Haven and Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime list local co-op but no online co-op. Remote Play Together, a Steam feature that streams a local co-op game from the host’s PC to a friend online, bridges that gap for the games that support it. For more sofa options, see our best couch co-op games for PC.

Who needs to own it?

It Takes Two’s Friend’s Pass and Operation: Tango’s Friend Pass let a friend join for free. Remote Play Together can do something similar for supported games. For the rest, assume each player on their own PC needs a copy.

A worked example

Say you and your partner finished Split Fiction online from two different cities, one of you loves puzzles and the other mainly loved the story. Start with A Way Out for the drama, then try Operation: Tango, since the Friend Pass means only one of you has to buy it and the Agent and Hacker split lets each of you lean into your strengths. Save Portal 2’s co-op campaign for when you want pure puzzles.

Mistakes to avoid

• Assuming every co-op game plays online. Check Steam’s feature list first, especially for couch-first picks.
• Picking a punishing climber for a reluctant partner. Bread & Fred is a test of patience; Unravel Two or Biped are kinder first steps.
• Expecting Hazelight-level variety everywhere. Most games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two focus on one idea and do it well rather than switching genres every hour.
• Forgetting the microphone. Operation: Tango requires one, and the online puzzle games all live on clear communication.

This list covers the Steam versions on PC. When you have worked through these, our co-op games like It Takes Two list and the full games like the ones you love hub have plenty more for your next evening together.

Questions and answers

Is there a 2nd It Takes Two game?

Split Fiction is the closest thing. It comes from the same studio, Hazelight, and Steam lists it as released on Mar 6, 2025. It is a new story with new heroes, Mio and Zoe, two writers trapped inside their own sci-fi and fantasy stories, rather than a continuation of Cody and May's tale. It keeps the formula: two players, shifting abilities and constant surprises.

What do you play Split Fiction on?

On Steam, Split Fiction runs on Windows PCs. Its Steam page lists online co-op, shared or split-screen co-op, cross-platform multiplayer, full controller support and Remote Play Together, so you can play side by side on one screen or online with a partner. It is built for two players, so plan on a co-op partner rather than a solo run.

Which of these co-op games are cross-platform?

On Steam, Split Fiction, We Were Here Forever, Biped and ibb & obb list Cross-Platform Multiplayer, and Operation: Tango's store page says cross-platform play is enabled. That matters if your partner plays on a different system. The other games on this list are easiest to plan with both players on PC, either online or together on one screen.

Can two people play these games with only one copy?

Sometimes. It Takes Two's store page offers a Friend's Pass that lets a friend join for free, and Operation: Tango has a Friend Pass too. Many others, including A Way Out, Portal 2, Biped and Overcooked! 2, list Steam's Remote Play Together, where the host streams a local co-op game to a friend online. Check each game's card before you buy.

Are there games like It Takes Two that I can play alone?

Yes, though the feeling changes. Portal 2 has a full single-player campaign beside its co-op story, Unravel Two and Haven let one player control both characters, and Trine 5, Biped, Bread & Fred and Overcooked! 2 list single-player modes. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime pairs a solo player with an AI space-pet. It Takes Two, Split Fiction and A Way Out are built for two players.