High On Life 2 is a single-player first-person shooter developed by Squanch Games. The game follows the bounty hunter protagonist from the 2022 original as a mysterious figure places a price on the player's sister, drawing the hero back into action against an intergalactic pharmaceutical conglomerate that seeks to exploit humans. Players navigate this sci-fi comedy shooter through a mix of shooting, traversal, and dialogue-driven encounters across multiple exotic locations.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on first-person combat using an arsenal of sentient alien weapons that deliver both firepower and constant commentary. Each gun features distinct abilities and personalities that influence how encounters unfold. Early in the adventure, players gain access to a skateboard that replaces traditional sprinting and enables grinding rails, wall riding, ollies, and aerial maneuvers. This tool integrates directly into both exploration and fights, allowing players to chain tricks across rails and ramps while engaging enemies in arenas designed with verticality and momentum in mind.
Traversal sections emphasize creative movement through cities, beachfront areas, and platforming challenges. Combat arenas often incorporate skate features so players can maintain speed and reposition dynamically rather than relying solely on cover or footwork. Side activities include collecting items in skatepark-style challenges and interacting with eccentric alien characters voiced by a comedy-focused cast. The experience mixes linear story progression with opportunities to explore hub areas and tackle optional objectives.
Game Modes
High On Life 2 offers a single-player campaign only. There are no multiplayer options or cooperative modes available. The main experience consists of a story-driven sequence of missions that vary in structure, ranging from direct confrontations to investigative sequences aboard a luxury cruise liner and chaotic events at a large convention. Exploration and side objectives supplement the primary path without branching into separate competitive or survival formats.
Story and Setting
The narrative picks up after the events of the first game, with the protagonist now known as the Outlaw following a high-profile incident. A new conspiracy involving Rhea Pharmaceuticals threatens humanity once more, prompting a return to bounty hunting across the galaxy. Key stops include an alien zoo, a futuristic cruise ship hosting a murder mystery event, and large-scale gatherings filled with satirical elements targeting corporate culture. Dialogue and visual gags drive much of the tone, with the talking weapons serving as recurring companions throughout the journey.
Technical State and Updates
The game launched with some reported performance issues and crashes on PC, which prompted multiple hotfixes and patches addressing progress blockers, lighting, animations, and stability. Ongoing support has focused on resolving objective bugs and improving overall reliability across platforms. A demo covering the first two missions remains available, with save data carrying over to the full release.
Is It Worth Playing?
High On Life 2 appeals most to players who enjoy humorous single-player shooters with strong emphasis on movement and memorable weapon personalities. The skateboard addition expands traversal and combat options in ways that differentiate it from standard first-person experiences, while the varied mission structures provide regular shifts in pace. Reception highlights the creativity and satire as strengths, though some note that combat can feel serviceable rather than exceptional and that technical hiccups persisted for a period after launch. Patches have improved stability since release. Those seeking a compact campaign filled with absurd dialogue and inventive set pieces will find the most value here, especially if they appreciated the original game's style of comedy and gunplay. Pre-order customers received a cosmetic visor skin for select weapons, though this item has no mechanical impact on gameplay.
