In the realm of gaming, the wait for quality comedy games can feel like an eternity. Thankfully, the moment I booted up High on Life and heard my talking gun cheekily comment on my performance against dancing aliens, I knew I was in for a treat. Despite its share of bugs and the occasional cringe-worthy joke, this game brilliantly delivers the absurdist humor and satire I’ve longed for. From conversing with a shotgun about scientific wonders to the outrageous act of disguising myself as alien waste, High on Life offers a whimsical escapade that stands out in the gaming landscape.

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High on Life Review by VpeSports

They say tragedy + time = comedy, but in the world of gaming, the real tragedy is how long we have to wait between quality comedy games. Thankfully, in the opening moments of High on Life, when my talking gun mockingly whispered that I was doing a great job shooting dancing aliens, I knew I was in luck. Despite its bugs and performance issues, and the occasional moments of less-than-stellar toilet humor, the game overall succeeds in delivering the kind of absurdist space satire I’ve always dreamed of. Whether it’s talking to my shotgun about the virtues of science, disguising myself as alien poop to sneak into a secure facility, or watching an entire ’90s movie on the adjacent screen, High on Life is a game that knows how to have fun, and there aren’t enough games like it.

This unabashedly funny first-person shooter puts its comedic ideas and characters first and is completely unashamed of its wacky concept. After Earth is invaded by vile aliens who abduct humans to smoke as hallucinogenic drugs, you embark on an absurd space adventure to exact revenge on an alien drug cartel. Along with you are the stars of the show – extremely crude weapons that not only aid you in your destruction, but also become important characters in the narrative. These animated guns (called Gatlians) are the best thing about the game, and include Kenny, a mildly indignant pistol that resembles Justin Roiland from Rick and Morty, Sweezy, a foul-mouthed sniper who seems to be a nod to Halo’s “Nedler,” Creacher, who uses his rapidly growing children as ammo, and my personal favorite, Gus, a surprisingly kind shotgun voiced by J.B. Smoove from Twisted Time.

While some of them took a while to win me over, 16 hours of co-op adventures with these guys provided plenty of funny dialogue and character development. By the time the credits rolled, I was really not looking forward to putting my new best friends back in their holsters. That’s thanks in large part to High on Life’s generally solid writing, which is chock-full of silly jokes, curse words, and plenty of screens playing idiotic shows that could have come straight out of Rick and Morty’s Interdimensional Cable.

• Absurdist Humor: A unique blend of comedy and space satire that stands out in gaming.
• Engaging Characters: Memorable animated weapons (Gatlians) provide both humor and narrative depth.
• Wacky Adventures: Players engage in outrageous scenarios, like disguising as alien poop.
• Diverse Gameplay: Combines shooting with creative problem-solving using each weapon’s special abilities.
• Fun Distractions: Offers numerous collectibles and hidden surprises to explore throughout the game.
• Lengthy Campaign: Enjoyable gameplay experience that can exceed 16 hours, packed with laughter and chaos.

One level involves a deliberately annoying alien that follows you around and chatters incessantly until you unlock the option to kill it. Another level has you visiting a Space Applebee’s to eat a full meal for no apparent reason. There’s also a movie theater showing the actual 1990 film The Demon Wind, complete with commentary like The Mysterious Science Theater 3000, which I, of course, watched from start to finish. The campaign lasts around eight hours if you have the willpower and focus to ignore all the fun distractions and beat the game, but my first playthrough took over 16 hours as I was constantly entertained. It’s an adventure full of madness, and it’s always fun to travel between planets; I never knew when I’d encounter something crazy, like when I teleported a section of highway to a jungle planet and watched as its inhabitants, kidnapped along with it, gradually transformed from a group of aliens on a road rage rampage into a crazed cult sacrificing their own to please the gods of asphalt.

Impressive humanity in an absurd shooter

High on Life has a lot of jokes that are simple or even vulgar, and like any comedy, they won’t be to everyone’s taste. But for me, as a fan of classic comedy games like Borderlands 2 and South Park: The Stick of Truth, it worked like a charm. There are moments when the crude language and shock humor come off as a bit lazy or unnecessary, although I have a high tolerance for that. However, most of the time, the funny moments and cheeky lines really make you smile. It’s hard not to laugh when your enemies suddenly start dancing in battle, ignoring you, right? It’s remarkable that in a shooter as absurd and frivolous as High on Life, the story turns out to be full of depth. I genuinely enjoyed interacting with Jin, a failed bounty hunter turned unemployed couch potato, and felt genuinely motivated to take down an alien drug cartel – though mostly to avenge his Gatlian friends rather than save humanity.

In keeping with High on Life’s chaotic atmosphere, the combat using your weapons is over-the-top and a bit clunky at times. The guns aren’t always accurate, and enemies are playful on the battlefield, lobbing sticky projectiles at you. Early on, I was worried that combat would boil down to using Kenny and his pistol against mindless enemies. Plus, even on the hardest difficulty, High on Life is pretty easy – you always have the ability to regenerate health and shields, and the bullets travel slowly, making them easy to avoid. Luckily, as you gain new tools like the jetpack or other interesting combat options (like Creature’s ability to mind control enemies on the battlefield or Gus’ ability to absorb smaller enemies and rip them to shreds), the game becomes much more fun.

1. Humor Style: Contains simple and vulgar jokes that may not appeal to everyone.
2. Nostalgic Appeal: Fans of games like Borderlands 2 will likely enjoy its comedic charm.
3. Depth in Absurdity: Despite its silliness, the story features genuine emotional connections.
4. Chaotic Combat: Over-the-top fighting mechanics that can be clunky but entertaining.
5. Gameplay Variety: Unique abilities and tools enhance combat dynamics and creativity.
6. Minor Flaws: Issues like enemy variety and control mapping can disrupt the experience.

That said, there are still moments that are puzzling, like the lack of enemy variety or when aliens get stuck in the environment. And of course, the completely baffling decision to make the down button on the d-pad a crouch button (though this can be remapped in the Accessibility section of the Xbox settings). These niggles make for a less than smooth experience, and the fun comes from finding creative ways to clear each area of ​​enemies. For example, you can use Kenny’s ability to launch enemies into the air and then “juggle” them until they explode, or take out those hiding behind cover with Swizzy’s piercing projectiles. It’s definitely more chaotic and less polished than the ideal shooter, but it’s a great sandbox for performing silly and fun kills, which fits in well with the energy of High on Life.

A fun sandbox for fun killing

When your guns aren’t firing, they’re reliable allies, helping you navigate levels using their alternate firing modes – the terribly named “trick-hollow”. These abilities add functionality beyond just killing enemies. Kenny can knock down obstacles with his Glob Shot ability, Gus creates platforms by firing spinning blades at walls, and Swizzy releases bubbles that slow down time in a specific area. I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun it was just running around and searching for collectibles and hidden chests. In true Metroidvania fashion, unlocking new weapons and abilities unlocks new areas and secrets in previously visited locations, making revisiting old locations worthwhile. Collecting alien pesos while exploring the world is also quite satisfying, as these can be spent on weapon and hunting suit upgrades that provide useful bonuses, such as Gus’s improved ability to absorb enemies and dismantle their armor.

High on Life also offers some crazy and memorable boss fights that serve as the highlights of each level, pitting you against various alien criminals. These battles were the only times I felt a real challenge in combat, and the bosses’ actions and absurd antics often serve as great jokes based on their character. This sometimes made me feel a little sad when I had to brutally dispatch them. In one fight, a boss punished me in a way that made me stop and laugh at the meta-humor of the situation – it was such an unexpected move that I could not have predicted.

• Unique Abilities: Guns offer alternate firing modes, enhancing gameplay beyond combat.
• Exploration Fun: Searching for collectibles and hidden chests adds excitement.
• Metroidvania Elements: Unlocking new abilities leads to new areas and secrets.
• Satisfying Upgrades: Collecting alien pesos allows for weapon and suit enhancements.
• Memorable Boss Fights: Challenging encounters with absurd characters provide humor.
• Minor Glitches: Bugs and performance issues occasionally disrupt the experience.

When you first boot up the game, High on Life offers another dose of meta-humor: a disclaimer that warns that “any glitches or bugs you encounter are intentional satirical references to other games with bugs.” This joke didn’t make me laugh while playing, as the game is indeed prone to bugs and performance issues. While they rarely disrupt gameplay, they’re still annoying on a regular basis. At the time of writing, a patch has been released that seems to have fixed the most serious issues, but during moments of intense action, such as some difficult boss fights, I still noticed slight frame rate drops on the Xbox Series X. As for bugs, they’re mostly minor annoyances, like the time one character got stuck and I had to reload a save to continue the dialogue, or a few enemies remained invisible after I killed them.

System Requirements for High On Life

To fully enjoy the absurd and comedic world of High On Life, it’s essential to ensure your system meets the necessary specifications. The game, developed by Squanch Games, offers a unique blend of humor and action, making it a must-play for fans of the genre. Below, you’ll find the minimum and recommended system requirements to run the game smoothly.

Minimum requirements are set to allow players to experience the game’s basic functionalities, while the recommended requirements ensure an optimal gaming experience with better graphics and performance. Having a system that meets or exceeds the recommended specifications will enhance your gameplay, providing smoother graphics and a more enjoyable experience overall.

How to Play High On Life for Free on Steam via VpeSports

If you’re excited to jump into the hilarious universe of High On Life without spending a cent, you’re in the right spot! We offer fantastic opportunities to access the game for free through our platform. Our Shared Steam service features accounts that come with High On Life pre-installed.

To start your adventure, visit the VpeSports website and create an account. Once logged in, navigate to the Shared Steam section. Here, you’ll find a variety of shared accounts available for you to explore. Locate High On Life and click on its review page.

You will see a download button that leads to a comprehensive guide on how to access the game. We’d love to hear your thoughts on our review, so please consider leaving a positive comment! Keep in mind that all comments are moderated; if yours doesn’t get approved immediately, try adjusting it to fit our community guidelines. Once your comment is approved, our moderators will send the account details to the email you registered with.

For even easier access, join our Telegram channel, Shared Steam Accounts VP, to receive quick updates. By subscribing, you’ll get notifications and gain access to an account for free play of High On Life. This is an excellent way to stay informed about patches and new content while enjoying the game.

If you run into any difficulties, a detailed guide is available on our website titled “How to Play for Free – Detailed Instructions!” This resource will assist you in navigating any issues you may encounter. Enjoy your time in the absurd and comedic world of High On Life!