Note: Most of this review is repeated from the originally published version (HERE) back in July of 2023. More of the review has been added at the end to discuss the new DLC additional content.
Originally released as an Xbox and PC exclusive back in December, “High On Life,” developed over at Squanch Games, pulled a fast one on us. Last weekend, they surprised everyone by shadow dropping the game for PlayStation. As a fan of shows such as “Rick & Morty” and previous Squanch Games titles, I’m excited to finally get around to reviewing this game. Before I go any farther let me just quickly bring up the elephant in the room. Justin Roiland, the co-founder of the company and producer/voice actor in all the titles mentioned, has been accused of not-so-great things, not great things at all actually. Shortly after the launch of this game he stepped away from the company and is currently no longer associated with all the popular IPs he’s affiliated with. I’m going into this review not clouding my judgement of the artist to cloud how I feel about the art, it takes more than a single person to create all the amazing media we as consumers consume, and one bad egg shouldn’t spoil all the hard work all those other employees have done. With that said, onto the review!
In this first-person shooter, you assume the role of an unnamed protagonist fresh out of high school. Your family perceives you as lacking ambition, preferring to stay at home and play video games, while your sister Lizzie appears to have her life together, despite her secret rebellious side (at least my character doesn’t do cocaine!). Suddenly, extraterrestrial beings appear near your home, prompting much confusion, hysteria, and panic. As fate would have it, you encounter a talking alien gun named Kenny, voiced by Justin Roiland in his trademark Morty-like voice. Kenny reveals himself as a Gatlian, and these invading aliens, known as the G3 Cartel, have a nefarious plan to turn humans into drugs. With Kenny’s persuasion, you embark on a journey to fight back against the enemy aliens. The adventure begins when your entire home is transported to an alien city, where you become a bounty hunter, determined to stop the G3 Cartel on bounty at a time.
The standout feature of “High On Life” lies in its talking weapons, with Kenny being your primary companion, alongside Knifey, a personified knife of course (who loves stabbin’!). These guns add a unique twist to the first-person shooter experience, as they interact with you throughout the game. The constant chatter of the weapons may not suit everyone’s taste in comedy, but fortunately, an option is available to limit their dialogue to essential moments. The game cleverly embraces self-awareness, humorously poking fun at gaming conventions and gamers themselves. NPC characters’ witty dialogue and the overall writing contribute to an exceptionally funny experience. Again, comedy is all subjective, so if this style isn’t your cup of tea, then neither is this game.
Beyond the shooting action, “High On Life” offers enjoyable and imaginative platforming segments. The variety of enemy types though is somewhat limited, and they often come in repetitive waves. Despite this, the engaging story and humor really helped maintain my interest. Each bounty you collect introduces new Gatlians with their own unique abilities, not only enhancing the shooting mechanics but also aiding in navigating the platforming challenges. The game boasts expansive maps that encourage exploration to discover collectibles and hidden comedy gems. Players opting to rush through the story can expect to finish in roughly around nine hours. Yet, I encourage you to savor the game’s humorous intricacies and thoroughly explore its content, in doing so your playtime will likely double.
Visually, there’s a lot to love here, featuring vibrant and colorful graphics, fitting perfectly within the quirky universe crafted by Squanch Games. The art style complements the game’s comedic tone, creating a visually appealing and cohesive experience. “High On Life” stands out as an offbeat and humorous sci-fi comedy first-person shooter, and that’s just something we don’t really get anymore in this day and age, so I found this to be quite a breath of fresh air, technical issues aside. Despite the talking weapons potentially overstaying their welcome now and then due to their frequent chatter, the game’s clever self-awareness, creative platforming, and expansive world make it a delightful adventure for those seeking a unique and entertaining gaming experience. It’s nowhere near a perfect game, but it’s a huge step in the right direction for the studio and I very much look forward to what they have up their sleeve, especially now with their co-founder no longer there. Consider me very excited to check out their upcoming DLC “High On Knife” coming later this year.
Fast-forwarding to the present and “High On Knife” is finally here and was my excitement for this content warranted? I’m happy to say that it was! This DLC adds a good amount of fun and quirky story, primarily focusing on your trusty melee weapon “Knifey” who seems to be having a bit of an existential crisis and getting a bit depressed about his purpose in life, stabbing! The comedy here hasn’t skipped a beat, the dialogue is as humorous as ever (if you enjoy this type of comedy of course) and things continue to get imaginative and weird, such as finding yourself on a salted planet with sluglike inhabitants that are obsessed with this planet and the salt, even if they’re in denial that it’s making them all sick. Another big highlight here is the new weapon introduced called B.A.L.L. (don’t worry about what it stands for) and it is not only very creative with its tiny people manning the gun and shooting a sizable pinball that can ricochet around, but it’s also just a lot of fun to use and was often my primary weapon during my playthrough. I was a bit bummed to see your main weapon from the main game “Kenny” no longer a part of this added story, granted the reasoning to replace Justin Roiland’s character is totally understandable, but the Gatlian that replaces Kenny just isn’t anywhere near as memorable. While this three- or so-hour extra adventure was a lot of fun, it was for the most part just more of what I liked from the base game, so it plays more as just a good excuse to hop back in and play it, which is ultimately the point. For fifteen bucks, you’ll have to ask yourself if that’s worth it to spend more time in this wacky game, just know you’re getting more of the same. Also, shout out to whoever wrote that Cheers related gag in the game, you got me good!
High on Life: 8/10
High on Knife: 8/10
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Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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