„High on Life 2“ played: Skate, shoot, smash aliens
In the first-person shooter „High on Life 2“ by Squanch Games, players race around on a skateboard and shoot aliens with talking weapons.
(Image: Squanch Games)
Aliens rule, humans are livestock, and your guns are your best friends – with this concept, Squanch Games achieved a respectable success almost four years ago with the first “High on Life”. In the sequel, everything is a bit bigger, but just as bizarre as in the predecessor. Shooting babies at aliens? Alien murder mystery on a luxury liner? Welcome to the world of “High on Life 2”!
Terrorists vs. Aliens
After our hero smashed a drug cartel in the first part, he is now taking on Big Pharma as an outlaw. But who is criminal, evil, and mean here is not so easy to clarify. The heroes are a terrorist group, the alien world is simply full of morally corrupt subjects, and the guns are already looking forward to the next slaughter.
A bit of “Borderlands,” a bit of Muppet Show, and a lot of bizarre humor in the style of “Rick and Morty” – “High on Life 2” cares little about genre conventions or good taste. The scatological humor won't appeal to everyone, and the action primarily focuses on pacing without being particularly challenging.
„High on Life 2“ angespielt (5 Bilder)
Squanch Games
)On the other hand, the game world, with its absurd humor, beats pretty much everything the competition has to offer. One pun follows the next, each more tasteless than the last. In addition, everything is excellently voiced in the original English. The hero, accompanied by his future favorite weapon, stumbles and shouts through the night, killing a mini-boss to use its head as an assault rifle. There are also self-referential jokes, a lot of media criticism, and one of the strangest “System Shock” boss fights of recent years.
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On the Skateboard of Death
The biggest innovation compared to the predecessor is the skateboard. The main character moves around on it, gliding over railings. This creates its own game mechanic, especially during combat. You are always looking for the ideal grip to move as quickly as possible. Changes of direction must be planned lightning-fast, otherwise you'll race right into the enemies' sights.
Apart from that, much has remained the same. Our hero shoots his way through enemies, relying on his living weapons, called Gatlians, which all have names, personalities, and time for in-depth conversations. In addition to the standard shot, all weapons have an extra in the chamber. The laser pistol Sweezy stops enemies with a time bubble, Shotgun-Gus aims at enemies with a deadly disc, and Creature shoots alien babies at enemies. Sounds bizarre and plays that way too.
Outside the shooting sequences, these abilities are also useful for a few puzzles. The hero sucks in objects, sends the babies on a journey through small shafts to open doors, or juggles objects in the air. While this is by no means as cleverly designed as in classics like “Portal”, it adds variety to the fast-paced shooting when mixed with a few jump-n-run moments.
Minigames as a Pastime
Similar to the comedy classic “Spaceballs,” the hero travels from his base to the missions in a converted motorhome. These usually only involve simple shooting followed by a boss fight. Nevertheless, there are surprise moments when he solves a murder case as a detective, interrogating suspects to establish a chain of evidence. However, the detective doesn't have to be particularly clever; he just has to diligently search for clues in the room and prove the obvious.
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Then there is a quasi-open world. In a futuristic city or on a beach, a few minigames are hidden. In the Fight Club, you can place bets, you have to save a drowning person, or you can race on the skateboard – a nice pastime that further emphasizes the game's absurd humor. You can also test your skills on arcade machines with emulated curiosities from video game history like Piko's “Gourmet Warriors.” However, there are no larger side quests. It's a big, colorful adventure playground to let off steam.
Interim Conclusion
In “High on Life 2,” humor takes precedence over substance. Once players have had their fill of talking weapons and a few rounds on the skateboard, it quickly becomes apparent that there are few gameplay “aha” moments. A bit of murder mystery and a lot of fast-paced shooting – all seen before.
On the other hand, the wit and game world are convincing. Provided you don't let yourself be disturbed by one or the other tasteless joke. “High on Life 2” is dirty, evil, and colorful – a feast for fans of absurd humor and brutal action.
“High on Life 2” is available for Windows, Xbox Series, and PS5. USK rating 18. It costs approx. 60 euros and is included in Game Pass. For our preview, we played the Windows version for a few hours.
(afl)
