Upon successfully escaping the Waste Depot via a trash bin in the intriguing subchapter known as Split Fiction, you and your in-game partner will find yourselves navigating the Cell Blocks. This segment represents another layer of the Isolation main quest, plunging players into an atmosphere filled with whimsical yet complex science fiction elements. Your objective? Solve environmental puzzles alongside your partner to find an exit from this convoluted simulation.
This guide aims to provide crucial insights essential for effectively maneuvering through the Cell Blocks subchapter. You will discover key strategies that ensure a seamless and enjoyable gaming experience.
Disclaimer: Be aware that this article contains major spoilers concerning the Isolation chapter.
Navigating the Cell Blocks in Split Fiction
Following their exit from the Waste Depot, Zoe and Mio find themselves trapped within a trash compactor, as the machinery mistakenly considers them refuse. Together, they realize that the entire Isolation chapter unfolds within Mio’s subconscious, compelling them to confront her inner fears and past traumas.
As the gameplay begins in the trash compactor, the player controlling Mio will need to manage a panel that unlocks the mechanism, while the other player, controlling Zoe, must raise the compactor to prevent a possible crush. Although urgency is critical in this puzzle, caution is equally paramount; players should navigate carefully to avoid hazardous spikes that can eliminate Mio instantly. Thoughtful pacing is essential to ensure both partners’ survival.
With the door successfully unlocked, Zoe and Mio can proceed to board floating transports carrying prisoners. Using grapple hooks, players must navigate past a force field and land securely on these transports. Upon reaching the opposite side, they can grapple onto another moving transport and brace themselves until they reach a metal platform.
Unlocking New Abilities
Continue progressing by climbing a pole that elevates you to the next level, where Zoe and Mio can jump onto a rotating metal staircase. Ascend higher using a small ladder, then execute a wall run to gain extra airtime while dashing across the moving prisoner transports.
Once aboard the transports, grapple across the force field. Indoor hooks allow for suspension, readying the duo for a swing to the next area. They will encounter a locked door requiring simultaneous access via two side consoles to proceed.
After a brief cutscene, players will face a series of robotic adversaries. Mio has the advantage of hacking into floating drones, turning their weapons against them, while Zoe utilizes her gravity manipulation to shove enemies off the platform. The goal is to destroy the three cores within the area, crucial for overcoming the robotic onslaught.
The cores are shielded by magnetic fields, which Zoe can deactivate for Mio to attack. After dispatching the robotic horde, the next door opens, introducing players to innovative methods for utilizing their abilities. For instance, Zoe can levitate between two green magnetic platforms, while Mio can hack devices to navigate various terrains.
The gameplay transitions to a 2D sidescroller format, allowing Zoe and Mio to apply their newfound skills. Mio will hack a console manipuating the prisoner cell blocks, creating a bridge for Zoe, who will then release a device for Mio to hack, enabling a quick reunion.
Once the heroines reconvene, engage in a puzzle where Mio hacks into another magnetic panel, permitting Zoe to levitate safely. Synchronization between players is crucial to prevent Zoe from falling into the abyss below.
In a small area, players will encounter two prisoners who reveal their names, Vincent and Leo, an homage to the characters from A Way Out, also developed by Hazelight Studios. The forthcoming challenge requires Zoe to lead, as she must sustain the structure against possible collapse while the duo executes a wall run.
Mio can hack a Taser Bot, and by using it against Zoe, players can unlock the achievement or trophy titled Tazed and Confused. After the fun, use the bot to construct a bridge and traverse the metal fences ahead, following the main path to the maximum security section, thus concluding the Cell Block subchapter.