Squanch Games has done it again with an over-the-top and reference-filled sequel to their very first game, High on Life. The aptly named High on Life 2 picks up exactly where the previous left off, and all but slingshots you into a fast-paced narrative that slowly builds the further you go.
It’s so much like the first in its colorful atmosphere and even more colorful language, alongside incredibly fun gunplay and a few additional features that feel like improvements from the last game. This installment almost cements the idea that we’ll be seeing even more from this franchise in the future. However, that doesn’t mean it is without flaws.
Here’s the Skinny
High on Life 2 picks up directly where the previous game ends: you are the savior of Earth after having defeated the G3 gang from turning all humans into drugs. Some time has passed, and now, your parents are divorced, one of your old Gatlians (sentient guns that can speak) is gearing up to be your new step-dad, and your sister is a part of a rebellion.
It’s this very rebellion that flips the entire narrative and sees another attack against humanity and every bounty hunter in the galaxy out for your head, effectively ending your employment as a bounty hunter yourself. Instead of being humanity’s savior, you’re now the number one most wanted human in the entire galaxy.
Even though so much of the narrative hangs on the threads of the previous game, it’s all explained for newcomers who haven’t dived into the first part. Just about every single character returns, with a few new faces that also happen to be deadly weapons, and simple dialogue and narrative points that better explain everything together.
To clear the bounty from your name and save humanity once more, you’ll need to go around and take out important players behind a corporate pharmaceutical company one by one. The whole narrative pokes at the reality of big pharma and how corporations see paying customers while adding raunchy and comedic flair to tell the story.
The narrative is also told through the vibrant atmosphere of each location you visit across the galaxy in search of these investors and entrepreneurs. High on Life 2 isn’t open world, but each area is rather large and can be explored to experience all the funny dialogue or easter eggs throughout. However, I would say that these locations are far from expansive and offer little in the way of real exploration.
In fact, the entire game is linear, with there not even being any side quests to take on. I would even say that the game railroads you throughout. As you progress, there are more areas to visit that have more chests to find and little scenes to experience, but they don’t really matter to the overall story. There are NPCs you can chat with throughout each area as well, with some taking you on wild goose chases, but none of them really matter in the end. Even a majority of the major choices you’ll make won’t matter.
I definitely stopped every time I saw I could interact with a person in some way, but after exhausting all the dialogue options, there really wasn’t much more to do than move on to the objective or the next person who had something random to say.
Oh, For Glitches’ Sake
I hadn’t experienced this problem with the first game, so I didn’t think much of it until it actually happened to me in High on Life 2: intense glitching and screen tearing. Really. Oftentimes, I would find myself skateboarding around the beach only for the screen to suddenly start freaking out and cutting off.
At first, I thought it was just a part of the game, seeing as it didn’t happen when I went into the menus. However, I found myself having to completely quit and continue my save on several different occasions because the glitching was making it totally unplayable. If that wasn’t a problem, I’d say that High on Life 2 offers some of the smoothest and most responsive gameplay I’ve experienced.
Instead of sprinting, you’re skateboarding, and the flexibility behind traveling that way is so much more fun than just running. Combined with being able to wall ride, grind on rails, and reach high areas with your whip, there are also secret areas where you can find chests filled with collectibles and customizations for your Gatlians.
I would find myself just skating around to find wanted posters or chests in my free time because I just thought it was so much fun. There are even whole areas dedicated to perfecting your skateboarding and reaching new heights.
Custom See is Custom Do
Throughout High on Life 2, you are able to customize your space suit as well as your skateboard and the shoes you’re wearing. Honestly, none of it really matters in the long run, since none of these items provide you with any buffs, but I do have to say, they look pretty sweet. Now, it’s cool that I can put on all these outfits, but I’ll admit that it’s disappointing to never really see myself in any of the outfits since the game is played in first-person.
Even the many skateboard designs you can purchase feel a little bit pointless when you realize you’re just spending money on things when you can spend those cold, hard bucks at Jorb’s shop on something you can actually use. Most vendors also have collectibles on hand that can be picked up relatively cheaply to easily fill out the pages of comics or trading card sleeves.
Did I end up spending any additional money I had on new grip tapes, trucks, wheels, shoes, and suits whenever I had the chance? Yes. Do I still think it was worth it? Not really. But coming back to these stores at regular intervals gave me a chance to drop in to see what new stock they have. Maybe this part is really for the collectors who want to really prove that they found and bought everything they could get their hands on?
All In the Family
Where the game really shines is in its dialogue and characters. There is probably a little bit too much chatter between all the characters, but that seems to be a staple of Squanch Games at this point. You’re able to shut it off or significantly decrease it, but I feel like that would lessen the experience had with the characters.
Each Gatlian has a completely different personality that matters to the overall story, each with their own special abilities that can be shot from their Trick Hole. Yeah, just try to get past that name. The progressive strengths of these weapons slowly unlock more and more areas on the different maps you travel through, really encouraging doubling back to see what else you can uncover.
Even the side characters succeeded in making me laugh on multiple occasions, even if some of the jokes said were more raunchy than anything. I also very much enjoyed that there wasn’t a large cast of characters, with each of them having a reason for being involved in some way.
That being said, I wasn’t a very big fan of the fact that you get little to no real dialogue or moments with any of the big bads you’re defeating. Sure, they’re really just stepping stones to get to the mastermind behind the big pharmaceutical company behind all of this, but I was really hoping to get a little bit more of a backstory on any of them.
What Goes Up Must Come Down
Don’t let some of the cons prevent you from trying out High on Life 2. Despite its flaws, I had an unimaginably good time with it, and can only compare the joy to the same nostalgia I would have when playing wacky PS2 platformers back in the day.
Despite that, there were many times I straight-up needed to shut down the game because it was physically unplayable. However, that didn’t stop me from jumping right back in so I could keep the adventure going, meet new Gatlians, and talk to the weird aliens all across the galaxy. This sequel installment does give promise to a continuing franchise of weird games with great dialogue, and I can only imagine how much more fun the next one will be.
High on Life 2 (PC Review)
High on Life 2 is an incredibly fun and fast-paced space shooter with witty dialogue and interesting characters, though its linear storyline and small areas paired with the occasional technical issue held it back from its full potential.
The Good
- Incredibly fun sprinting mechanics.
- Hilarious dialogue.
- Interesting and expressive characters.
The Bad
- Terrible glitching and screen tearing at times.
- Choices didn't matter.
- Wearable items can't be seen.
-
GOOD
