So I started playing High on Life yesterday when I was really, really sick. I couldn’t get high like the developers recommended, but I had just taken some Panadol and some Nurofen Cold & Flu so you could say I was feeling some type of way.
The premise is simple: Aliens invade Earth to consume humans and get high. Sure, whatever. A very stoner-core plotline with that added Rick & Morty-esque flair of sci-fi. They aren’t going to write sonnets about this premise, but it’ll be funny to the kinds of people that wear psychedelic Rick & Morty shirts of the pair ripping a bong. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
The reviews for High on Life have been fairly middling, with most people saying that while it’s a unique take on the average shooter, its dialogue can be pretty grating. There’s the odd joke that hits, but there are a lot of moments where it seems like Roiland’s leaning on the spooky scary Fuck a little too much. There were a lot of moments that honestly felt a lot more like Doc & Mharti, Roiland’s original ball-sucking origin story to Rick & Morty. Take that how you will.
All that being said though, it isn’t a bad game. High on Life, once you get past some of the more annoying dialogue, is actually a pretty solid shooter (especially for the sweet sweet price of Free on Xbox Game Pass). The colourful alien world that Squanch Games has created has something new and interesting at every turn. Visually, High on Life is one of the most interesting games I’ve played this year.
That’s not to say that the dialogue is all that bad, though. If you were a fan of the animated series Smiling Friends, you’ll definitely clock the vocal stylings of Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack throughout the game. Then there’s Tara Strong, Tim Robinson, Joel Haver, and Jennifer Hale, who are all icons in their own right.
If you enjoy watching Rick & Morty but only if you’re playing multiple episodes over one another at once, you may be able to enjoy the constant dialogue of the many random characters in this game. However, you’ll still be able to enjoy it if that isn’t exactly your forte. All you have to do is turn down the Weapon and Enemy Dialogue to ‘Occasional’ or even ‘None’. I went for ‘Occasional’ because trying ‘None’ made the game feel weirdly lonely. Especially when you’ve just got this sentient gun staring at you the whole time.
Sure, it’s not reinventing the wheel. At this point, you’d be stressed to find a game that is. But High on Life is still a pretty fun shooter with a visually fascinating aesthetic. Definitely worth giving a go if you’ve got Game Pass.
Have you given it a go? What did you think? Let us know!
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