“High On Life 2” Review by Nick Navarro
The first time one of my guns insulted me mid-firefight, I knew I was back in familiar territory. “High On Life 2” doesn’t ease you in gently; it kicks the door down with a barrage of neon chaos, rapid-fire jokes, and talking firearms that refuse to shut up, and I mean that in the most affectionate way possible. Developed and published by Squanch Games, this sequel builds directly on the foundation laid by its 2022 predecessor (you can check out my review of that one HERE), doubling down on what worked while attempting to sand off some of the original’s rougher edges.
After saving humanity in the first game, my bounty hunter had finally settled into a life of fame, fortune, and intergalactic notoriety. That comfortable existence doesn’t last long. An alien pharmaceutical conglomerate decides that kidnapping Lizzie, my in-game sister, is the best way to make a statement, and just like that, I’m pulled back into a galaxy-spanning conflict filled with corporate greed, conspiracy, and more absurdity than any sane person could process in one sitting. The premise is simple, but the escalation is anything but. At its core, “High On Life 2” remains a first-person shooter with action-adventure elements, and mechanically, it feels immediately recognizable. Movement is fast, fluid, and satisfyingly acrobatic. Double jumps, dashes, slides, and grappling hooks return, letting me zip around arenas and vertical environments with a sense of reckless momentum. Combat encounters are designed to keep you airborne and aggressive, rewarding mobility as much as accuracy.
The headline addition this time around is the skateboard, and while it sounds like a novelty on paper, it meaningfully alters both traversal and combat flow. Grinding rails through alien cities and kickflipping past enemies mid-fight adds a fun and kinetic energy that fits perfectly with the game’s hyperactive tone. It also sneaks its way into puzzle-solving segments, offering alternate paths and environmental interactions that break up the shooting in clever ways. I didn’t always love how it handled in tighter spaces, but when the level design opened up, it felt liberating. Of course, the real stars of the show are the Gatlians, those charismatic, foul-mouthed alien weapons that comment on everything from your aim to your life choices. The sequel introduces new companions like Sheath and Travis, and they prove that the talking gun gimmick wasn’t a one-time joke. Each weapon has its own personality, quirks, and combat utility, and the banter between them is relentless. This time around, dialogue options let me respond to their ramblings, which adds a surprising sense of agency to conversations that were previously one-sided. I didn’t expect branching comedic exchanges to make such a difference, but they help the relationships feel more dynamic.
Humor remains the defining trait of the series, and whether that’s a strength or a stumbling block depends entirely on your taste. The jokes are rapid, crude, self-aware, and frequently break the fourth wall. I found myself laughing more often than not, especially during quieter exploration moments when the guns riff off each other or comment on absurd environmental details. That said, the comedy never lets up. If this brand of offbeat, meta-heavy humor doesn’t land for you, the experience could feel exhausting rather than entertaining. Level design takes me through a variety of imaginative locales, from massive intergalactic conventions to unsettling facilities that treat humans like exotic exhibits. The game clearly revels in satirizing corporate excess and commodification, particularly through its “big pharma” antagonist. While the central conspiracy drives the plot forward, it’s the constant twists and bizarre set pieces that kept me guessing. More than once, the narrative zigged when I expected it to zag, and I appreciated that unpredictability.
Boss encounters are more varied than before, though not all of them fully capitalize on the game’s expanded movement options. Some fights feel cleverly staged, demanding weapon swaps and mobility tricks, while others slip into repetition. Standard combat can occasionally fall into a rhythm that feels overly familiar by the back half of the campaign. The core shooting is punchy and satisfying, but the loop doesn’t evolve dramatically as the hours stack up. Technically, the game is serviceable but imperfect. I encountered some rough edges, minor performance hiccups, and visual inconsistencies that remind me this is still a scrappy, personality-driven shooter made by an indie team rather than a hyper-polished blockbuster. None of it derailed my enjoyment, but it’s noticeable enough to mention.
What ultimately carries “High On Life 2” is its boldness. In a market crowded with competent but forgettable shooters, this sequel refuses to blend in. It leans fully into its identity, embracing weirdness instead of sanding it down for mass appeal. The fugitive angle adds a new layer to the bounty hunter fantasy, pushing the story into even stranger territory than the battle against the G3 cartel ever did. The new Gatlians are consistently hilarious, the plot throws out genuine curveballs, and the overall ride feels bigger and more confident than before. It doesn’t quite achieve perfection. A bit more refinement in skateboarding mechanics and a handful of boss encounters would have elevated it further, and the repetition in standard combat occasionally peeks through the cracks. But even with those shortcomings, I couldn’t deny how much fun I was having. This is a sequel that understands what made the original memorable and expands on it without losing its chaotic soul.
Just like its predecessor, “High On Life 2” is imperfect, occasionally messy, and unapologetically strange, yet I was entertained from start to finish. If you can embrace its specific brand of humor and overlook some technical blemishes, you’ll find a shooter bursting with personality, absurdity, and genuine laughs. There’s still plenty of life left in this series, and after spending hours skating, shooting, and trading insults with my alien arsenal, I’d happily sign up for another entry to the series.
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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