Review: 'High on Life' is a joy to play

Four out of Five Stars

By Jonah Unger
Staff Writer

I have played many games in my lifetime, for it is not normal to be from my generation and have not. With that being said, I have played very few video games such as “High on Life.” This semi-open world game was released Dec. 13, 2022. 

It was developed and published by Squanch Games. Squanch Games was created after the success of the hit animated TV show “Rick and Morty.” Justin Roiland is the creator of Squanch Games, as well as co-creator of “Rick and Morty.”

This game offers many things, such as entertaining gameplay, various Easter eggs and, most importantly, hilarious dialogue with little to no bugs. 

It has a semi-interesting story, but if I am being honest I did not play it for the story whatsoever. I played because of the hilarious dialogue the game has to offer. If I had a dollar for the amount of times the game made me laugh, I would be able to go on vacation. 

The main character is sent into space after their home world has been invaded by an alien cartel. As the story progresses, the player unlocks talking guns called Gatlians, each with their own unique personality. 

The gameplay is similar to those of “Doom,” “Cyberpunk” and “Stick of Truth” when considering the dialogue. That being said, the game is not perfect, it has a very small open-world aspect, so there is not so much exploring to be had.

If I had to compare it to anything I would say the player can explore the same amount in “High on Life” as a player could in any “Lego” video game. 

On top of that, the player has options to make certain decisions throughout the game, but none of the decisions make a difference. The gameplay is challenging and fun, but it does get repetitive. It also can only be played on Xbox consoles and PC.

Despite its flaws, “High on Life” offers some redeeming qualities, such as the soundtrack, art style and replay-ability. This game is a joy to play.