I challenge anybody to find a game as bizarre as High on Life.
High on Life is a first-person shooter from developer Squanch Games, and Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland. One moment you’re a regular teenage boy, the next, your planet is being invaded by an alien race who plans to destroy the earth. It’s up to you and your talking alien gun to stop them, yes… you read that right.
Being High on Life
From the get-go, High on Life exudes style and creative wackiness, which fans of Rick and Morty will be no strangers to. This game had me laughing within the first five minutes, and the more I played, the more addicted I got.
Most surprisingly, the combat is really good. I assumed the story, dialogue, and world would all be fantastic, but I feared gameplay would suffer. Thankfully, I was wrong, High on Life is a joy to play. The gun you’re fighting with being the voice for the silent protagonist is nothing short of genius. It just makes every combat encounter hilarious and unpredictable.
It’s ideas like these combined with the right people that make them shine. Without Justin Roiland’s comedic style, I’m not sure this game would have been as enjoyable. His delivery and edginess make for a perfect marriage without becoming too annoying.
Beauty in the Absurdity
If I were to try to sum High on Life up in one word it would simply be “Absurd.” Honestly, throughout my play-through, I never knew what to expect next. Whether it’s hearing what ridiculous 4th wall breaks your gun Kenny would say, or finding a knife that is addicted to stabbing people.
I found myself laughing often and building a connection with these strange characters. So much so that it was hard for me to put Kenny away when I was given different guns. He calls you out if you’ve sat idle too long, references Final Fantasy 7, etc. Little things like this make it hard not to smile while playing, and in the end I was happy to be a space-faring bounty hunter alongside Kenny.
I could explore the world of High on Life for hours with a smile on my face. The game even rewards you for this in unexpected ways. Hearing strange dialogue from random NPCs that make you smirk. Standing near the TV in the living room long enough to realize there’s a real-life movie playing in its entirety. Or even finding… Space Applebee’s.
This even baffling the creator of Gears of War, Cliff Bleszinski. https://twitter.com/therealcliffyb/status/1603149154565472256?s=20&t=90d9LCWypIc34-uZDSdkLA
High on life exudes style and creative wackiness
Closing
High on Life is one of those games that punches hard with style and character. Once you’ve started playing, you won’t be able to stop. Perhaps some people may find the humor a little much at times, but I had a blast.
This being an Xbox Game Pass day one launch is such a benefit to gamers. If you have Game Pass, I can’t recommend it enough. Congrats to Squanch Games, Justin Roiland, and anyone involved for making such a ridiculous and fun experience.
