#split fiction

- Like truly! By the end i was bought in and really wanted them to be happy, and the epilogue of them supporting each other, about to go to their book release party..... aughhh. well, ive always been a sucker for friendships and it sure did do that.

- like. its just very sweet. its about it having just been Mio and her dad for the longest time, and the gravestone, and Zoe still at her side. Its about how despite all the prickling Mio does love Zoe and the two are close. Zoe having let go of that guilt and Mio at HER side. and like. man. man. man.

- i am sooo curious how their friendship works when they arent having life or death experiences though. i LIKE that the scene means the friendship is implied. i like thinking about how they must have had to learn how to do it.

- fuck, am i gonna write fic for them. maybe. read it at least.

- i do also think they shouldve given Zoe Something at the end though. Like mention that her parents are at the release party! something! Mio is Fucked Up but listen Zoe's also been through some shit where was HER poetic throughline.

- god. okay. me mentally writing fic aside. The story was..... solid, overall. I think the characters WERE stronger in this one and that is probably good because the overall /story/ was. a little thin.

- And Rader was just kind of . comic book villain. Disappointingly so, imo, I think the way they've written characters in general has felt nuanced and layered and so having him just kind of be. one note Wrahhh Evil was. a little disappointing. but i'll take that there rather then in the protags! If some spots had to take less focus I'm goad they chose that.

- This one also dazzled me a little less than It Takes Two in terms of how boldly it genrehops/executed completely disparate game design, but it DID explore the two archetypes of scifi vs fantasy within pretty extensively. I think just watching I was more iffy on the gameplay of the areas. BUT, the design and world and set dressing were phenomenal. Some of the chase sequences for this were sick as hell! A lot of the spaces were beautiful and sweeping!

- or as I said: some of these would really fuck as an amusement park ride or 4D experience.

- The gameplay did seem both buggier and much more linear than It Takes Two. The lack of little easter eggs vs the sporadic side stories was a little sad, esp combined with the bugginess. That said, obviously it was a much more expansive/graphics heavy game, so not too surprising.

- That said, i really, really liked the bench conversations. The way the split screen dissolves into one screen? The pacing and emotions of those conversations? The ability to just- sit, in between the often hectic sci fi levels and chases and crashing and chaos. Its good. Good as a mechanic, well executed, just. really nice.

- the little yells between the two and the teasong and dialogue do so much for the two of them, by the way.

- i really do like how they build things out.

- So much about the genres they write and the kinds of stories that go with it. quests with puzzles, chase scenes and flying bullets and near death. in some ways its kind if Clobber You Over The Head obvious- oh, Mio has financial anxiety and is suppressing her rage? Zoe loves overcoming evil and pretty quests? But i think I actually really respect how it sticks to those. It does a bit of subversion, but not without sacrificing the characters. Of course Mio is angry and furious, deep down. Wants to write the stories where she breaks shit and takes things apart, adrenaline in the veins and victory in hand. Of course Zoe loves the scenic and peaceful, wants to triumph over evil with magic in hand and light guiding the way forward. Of course. Of course.

- Like. man. hell yeah.

- the absolutely wacky stories were fun in their own way, too. its a good way to explore snippets, for sure- i respect the genrehopping in It Takes Two, and even if it was done less intensely here I like how the story itself served as explanation for it! very clever.

- The last chapter was mindfucky in the best way. Like, just a marvel of game dev. Its such a good blend of gimmick and gameplay, imo- fun to watch, still decently fun to play. (i assume).

- It was sweet and fun and I really enjoyed it. Honestly. Im glad i got to experience it (even secondhand).

- At some point perhaps a more in depth dive of how it understands/uses conventions of genre. It doesnt always subvert them, but it also doesnt have to! and that plus the easter eggs throughout referencing video game memes/other games.....