High on Life 2 Lean Into Sharper Satire and Bigger Action
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
High on Life 2 leans into sharper anticapitalist satire and improved action design, trading repetitive biomes for wildly inventive missions and boss fights.
Squanch Games is back with High on Life 2, a sci-fi shooter sequel that trades alien drug cartels for a full-scale war against exploitative corporations. Following studio changes in 2023, the development team has shifted focus away from the chaotic style of the original game and leaned into ambitious action design. Critics point out that the satire hits closer to home this time, taking direct aim at corrupt pharmaceutical companies and crooked executives rather than relying solely on abstract sci-fi tropes.
Gameplay receives a massive upgrade, moving away from repetitive biomes and closer to the inventive territory of classic platformers like Ratchet and Clank. Players are dropped into wildly varied scenarios, ranging from neon gladiatorial arenas to a fully realized Spirit Halloween store. One standout boss battle even turns the user interface itself into an enemy, proving that the team is willing to take genuine creative risks with the actual mechanics of the first-person shooter genre.
While the humor remains characteristically loud and uneven, the overall package delivers a much more cohesive experience for players seeking fast-paced action. Between clever environmental storytelling, bizarre murder mystery diversions, and a heavily armed arsenal of talking weapons, the sequel proves that Squanch Games can build a compelling shooter without relying on old habits. You can read the full review over at Polygon.
Tags: High on Life 2, Squanch Games, Shooter, Polygon, Gaming
Original article: Polygon