What parents need to know
You play as a teenager who must retrain as a bounty hunter following the invasion of Earth by an alien cartel that turns humans into hallucinogenic drugs.
Armed with rifles with reason, you must then hunt the members of the cartel in order to destroy the operations of the cartel and save the Earth.
You will alternate between shooting sequences where you have to kill groups of enemies using your weapons with their own abilities, and more sequences focused on jumping between different platforms, again using the abilities provided by your arsenal.
But the interest of High On Life is not so much the gameplay as the dialogues. Indeed, the game was created by Justin Roiland, the co-creator of the popular Rick & Morty series. The latter also lends his voice to several characters.
On the other hand, just like in Rick & Morty, the humor is vulgar and cynical, and it is not at all appropriate for minors. The tone of High On Life is closer to a series like South Park than a children’s series.
Details
Release date: 13 December 2022
Developed by: Squanch Games
Published by: Squanch Games
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC
Game Type: First-person shooter (FPS)
Themes: Drugs, science fiction
Average length of a game: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Total Game Lifespan: About 10 hours
Business model: Just need to buy the game once.
Available languages: French (interface and subtitles only) and English in particular
Number of players:
1 player on the premises
Available:
- in digital format (download to console or computer)
| Players | 3+ | 7+ | 12+ | 16+ | 18+ |
| Neophytes |  | | | |  |
| Intermediate | | | | | |
| Experienced |  | | | | |
Difficulty
High On Life is a first-person shooter that incorporates some platform game screens.
If at the highest difficulty level, the title can offer a good challenge, High On Life also offers a setting named “Story” that reduces the difficulty level to a minimum for those who simply want to enjoy the story.
Violence, fear, nudity?
High On Life is extremely violent. The heads of enemies are blown up in a very graphic way, and their entrails spring generously.
The game also does not hesitate to present private parts in an equally graphic way. In short, the content is reserved for adults.
Language level used
The various characters use an extremely vulgar level of language. The most sinister and colorful insults are hurled at you in an uninterrupted way. Your allies are also often very, very vulgar in their words, and their flow of words is just as incessant.
Positive message
Let us summarize the history of High On Life, and you will quickly understand that we are far from a game that seeks to teach a noble morality to players: you play as a young person without direction in life who sees an alien cartel arrive on Earth to roll humans in joints and use them as drugs.
It is then up to you to assass the members of the cartel to save the planet.
In short, even if your character is a hero (in a way, you still have the option of murdering children…), High On Life likes to be immoral.
Minimum reading level required
One of the great interests of High On Life is the humorous dialogue. Indeed, in this game, your weapons are living beings, often talkative, who constantly chat with your character.
But since audio is only available in English, if you don’t speak English, you’ll need to read a lot.
Additional costs ?
none.
Minimum level of execution on the controller required
High On Life, like most shooters of the same ilk, requires a good level of precision and dexterity with the controller.
That being said, as the game offers generous difficulty levels, less skilled players will still be able to find their account.
Local game mode
There is only one single player mode where you try to complete the story that is offered to you.
Online game mode
None.
Conclusion
If you were wondering if High On Life is appropriate for your children, let us save you time: the answer is an unequivocal no. This game was designed for an adult audience, and humor is aimed at them.
However, if you are an adult yourself, is this game recommended?
That depends.
The gameplay is competently conducted, but humor won’t reach everyone. If you’re a fan of other Roiland projects like Rick & Morty, you’re likely to burst out laughing many times.
However, if you are not a fan of vulgar humor, this game is not for you, especially since your weapons talk to you all the time. It is possible to digest how often your weapons address you, but if you reduce the noise completely, then the title loses much of its interest.
It should also be noted that Justin Roiland, creator of the project and interpreter of the main weapon, Kenny, was accused after the release of the game of domestic violence and forcible confinement against his ex-wife. Many distasteful text messages he allegedly sent to underage and adult women also surfaced on the web, further tarnishing his reputation.
You are not told that these allegations should prevent you from playing High On Life, but it is still relevant information in your decision-making.
More information about the game: Official game page
