High on Life 2 Review: A Surprising, Skateboard-Powered Redemption Arc
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Eurogamer's review of High on Life 2 highlights how Squanch Games turned their divisive shooter into a surprisingly fun sequel, thanks to better writing and an incredible skateboarding mechanic.
Squanch Games is back with a sequel that manages to turn a notoriously divisive debut into something genuinely worth playing. According to a recent review by Rick Lane over at Eurogamer, High on Life 2 delivers major improvements over its predecessor, shedding much of the exhausting stoner humor in favor of tighter pacing, sharper writing, and an unexpectedly fantastic movement mechanic. Players reprise their role as an intergalactic bounty hunter, this time pivoting from fighting cartel drug lords to taking down the corrupt executives of Rhea Pharmaceutical before they can reclassify humanity from illegal narcotics to medicinal pills.
The standout addition here is the skateboard, which completely transforms both traversal and combat. Squanch managed to weave ollies, wall-rides, and rail grinding into standard action moves like double jumps and air-dashes, creating a fluid movement system that keeps momentum high. Whether you are bunny-hopping across hovering traffic or taking out alien adversaries with a well-timed board slam, the mechanics feel responsive and fun. While the game still stumbles occasionally with a few sluggish mid-game areas and technical hiccups, it maintains its creative momentum all the way to the fourth-wall-breaking finale.
For players who bounced off the first game, this sequel is a surprisingly successful course correction that treats your time and attention with a bit more respect. It proves that even the most obnoxious IPs can evolve into genuinely enjoyable experiences when developers listen to feedback and lean into creative gameplay mechanics. You can read the full, detailed breakdown over at Eurogamer to see how the rest of the campaign shapes up.
Tags: High on Life 2, Squanch Games, Eurogamer, Reviews, PC Gaming
Original article: Eurogamer