High On Life 2 | Review

Initial release date: February 13, 2026

Platforms: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft Windows

Developer: Squanch Games

Publisher: Squanch Games

Engine: Unreal Engine 5

License: proprietary license

Composer: Tobacco

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• solid writing that had me laughing
• 10 plus hour campaign
• open world hubs with side content
• mature themes
• gory sequences
• skateboard traversal is fun
• Travis, Sheath, Jan new gatlians
• mission structure and locals very good
• puzzles got tiresome sometimes
• overall a better game than the first
• played via Gamepass
• played on my Xbox Series X
• good gameplay between HQ and missions
• fun artsyle
• great music
• good writing
• story of redemption
• better shooting “feel”
• Locals visually impressive

Introduction

Squanch Games been back, and High on Life 2 proves that. The first game wasn’t just a fluke. Personally, I really enjoyed the first High On Life which happen to exhibit pacing issues within a few of it’s missions in regards to puzzles. Alas High On Life 2 is here.

Presentation

Pacing, level design (along with it’s puzzles) are improved in High On Life 2. From The Zoo, Cruise Liner, Rhea Pharmaceuticals and tourist beach hubs back to Lizzie’s HQ where I could play arcade games in-between missions really held up through out the campaign.

As for negatives within High On Life 2’s presentation the game did have stuttering and frame pacing issues I would say 15% of my overall playthrough. The game just wasn’t super consistent on a technical level on the Xbox Series X.

Although humor is subjective, the world-building is top-tier here. The new hub worlds (like the Zoo and the Cruise Liner) feel alive and packed with ‘Wait, did they really just say that?’ moments.”

So yeah, overall asides from the stuttering on occasion High On Life 2 is an improvement over the first game which was a good game. It’s as if Squanch had a real budget to work with this time around.

Story

Going from bounty hunter hero to a fugitive on the run from Rhea Pharma gives the game better stakes than the first due to the plot of “humans might be made into pills” for “higher” aliens to consume. And that last quarter? No spoilers, but the way it closes out is some of the most creative ‘fourth-wall-breaking’ I’ve seen in years.

You start the story as the famous G-3 Killer bounty hunter from the first game but that all quickly goes south as you’re labeled a terrorist with your sister Lizzie who leads a resistance to save humankind from Rhea Pharmaceutical targeted employees. Mature themes are present but this is a story of redemption ultimately make no mistake.

Gameplay

The customizable Skateboard is the MVP gameplay mechanics-wise. I didn’t think I needed Tony Hawk mechanics in my High On Life, but grinding rails while blasting aliens with Sheath, Gus, Jan, Creature or Travis is a total game-changer. It makes the verticality level design actually work.

Gatlians play a large part in puzzle solving as you attain them within the progressing missions. Lugblobs also play a big part in puzzle traversal gameplay. The gameplay, loop and mission structure was improved over the first game. You also have Jeppy in his Pokeball.

Visuals

Built on Unreal Engine 5, the lighting is fantastic but the game stutters on occasion during intense skateboard combat moments. Seeing the world reflect in Knifey’s eyes is a flex. There is ‘gross-out’ art i High On Life 2, but it’s high-fidelity gross-out art thanks to Unreal 5.

Some of the hubs looked very impressive like the Arcadia hub which reminded me of a happy colorful Night City via Cyberpunk 2077. I would say High On Life 2 is a sleeper visual monster.

Sound | Music

The voice acting and lo-fi musical tunes via Tobacco carries the game. Even without Roiland, the new Gatlians like Sheath (Ralph Ineson) bring a gravelly weight that makes the comedy land even better. Travis and Jan’s couple banter was entertaining also. The combat audio still feels a bit ‘light,’ weird and “soft” but the dialogue makes up for it.