The Gamescom 2022 showing for High On Life, the new Xbox-exclusive shooter from Squanch Games, has received a pretty mixed response online. Some people have found what’s been publicly showcased to be funny, but to others it’s a real nails-on-chalkboard situation. Having played the game at the show I can say one key thing, however: its humor lands a hell of a lot better in-context and in-game.
To some extent, the humor is the whole point of this game. Squanch Games is a games studio founded by Justin Roiland, the co-creator of Rick and Morty and the voice behind the show’s titular characters. Roiland is trying to do what he does best, but in games – in-your-face adult humor, but delivered by colorful characters that, at first blush, might seem kid-friendly. They’re not.
The response to High on Life over the last week or so is intrinsically linked to these elements of the game. In fact, I’ve seen next to nobody talking about how it appears to play, or its colorful visuals, or the interesting suite of weapon types and abilities. People are more interested in the fact that the weapons talk, and most interested of all in what they’re saying.
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