High On Life

High On Life is a PC first-person comedy shooter with action-adventure structure, talking alien weapons, bounty contracts, and colorful science-fiction worlds. Current Steam, Epic Games Store, and Xbox listings continue to use the name High On Life; no verified storefront rebrand or replacement edition was found. Squanch Games is both the developer and publisher.

The game is built for players who want a deliberately strange single-player campaign rather than competitive shooting. Its appeal comes from the combination of first-person gunplay, authored exploration, aggressive comedy, and weapons that function as characters as much as combat tools.

Bounty Hunting With Talking Guns

High On Life begins with humanity threatened by an alien cartel that wants to use humans as drugs. The protagonist is pulled into intergalactic bounty hunting and gradually assembles a team of Gatlians, living firearms with distinct personalities, dialogue, and combat functions.

The main loop is straightforward but flexible: accept a bounty, travel to an alien location, fight cartel forces, explore side paths, collect resources, and return to the hub to prepare for the next contract. Missions are supported by optional exploration, hidden Luglox chests, shops, hunter challenges, and equipment upgrades.

Combat is not based on using one universal gun. Each weapon has a normal attack and a special firing mode, so switching between Kenny, Gus, Sweezy, and Creature is part of the intended rhythm. Knifey adds a close-range option and also supports traversal interactions that open routes through the environment.

Encounters mix standard shooting with enemy positioning, special attacks, melee pressure, and environmental opportunities. Kenny can launch Glob Shots, Gus uses a sawblade-focused shotgun style, Sweezy supports rapid precision attacks, and Creature deploys small creatures that create additional pressure on enemies.

Exploration, Upgrades, and Optional Content

The campaign moves through contrasting locations, including a human home, alien settlements, jungle-like environments, and a city built inside an asteroid. These areas are not a single uninterrupted open world. Instead, they form connected mission spaces with revisit potential after new abilities become available.

Warp Discs add another layer to exploration by letting the player access additional locations and activities. Exploring beyond the critical path can reveal currency, collectibles, upgrades, equipment, and comedic encounters that are easy to miss when rushing between bounties.

Progression is equipment-focused rather than a traditional skill-tree RPG. Suit upgrades, weapon modifications, health improvements, and movement tools expand survivability and access to previously blocked areas. The result is a light Metroidvania-style progression loop inside a mission-driven shooter.

High On Life also uses its environment for jokes and character interaction. NPC conversations, television segments, bounty-hunter dialogue, and background details frequently interrupt the expected shooter rhythm. Players who enjoy comedy embedded throughout exploration will find more content by listening and looking around instead of treating every zone as a corridor between fights.

What Is Included on PC?

The PC base game is a premium single-player product rather than a free-to-play service. The standard purchase covers the main campaign, its bounty missions, the core weapon lineup, exploration areas, collectibles, achievements, and the associated upgrade systems.

High On Knife is the major paid add-on associated with the game. It expands the setting with a separate story-focused adventure centered on Knifey, adds new characters and environments, and is sold separately or through bundles that combine it with the base game.

Storefront listings also present a broader franchise bundle containing High On Life, High On Knife, and the sequel. That bundle should not be confused with the base game plus its first paid add-on. Players interested only in the original campaign can purchase High On Life independently.

There is no seasonal battle pass, competitive progression track, or recurring multiplayer content model attached to the PC version. Its replay value comes from optional discoveries, achievement hunting, revisiting areas with new abilities, and experiencing the dialogue-heavy campaign at a personal pace.

Who Should Play High On Life?

High On Life suits players who want a colorful, irreverent science-fiction shooter with a strong character focus. It is a natural fit for anyone who enjoys absurd NPCs, fourth-wall jokes, talking weapons, unusual enemy designs, and a campaign that is more interested in personality than military realism.

The game also works for players who prefer approachable action systems. The combat has distinct weapons and special attacks, but it does not demand the precision, build planning, or competitive mastery expected from a dedicated arena shooter. Exploration rewards curiosity without turning the game into a punishing survival experience.

It is a weaker match for players who want online co-op, split-screen, player-versus-player modes, realistic weapon handling, or a quiet story. The humor is constant, often crude, and intentionally distracting. Players who dislike extended dialogue, comedy interruptions, or deliberately juvenile writing should know that these are central design choices rather than occasional side material.

For another Squanch Games experience built around surreal comedy and alien-world adventure, the humorous third-person platforming chaos of Trover Saves the Universe provides a useful comparison, although its perspective and combat structure are different.

PC Features and Platform Details

High On Life is available on PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store, while Xbox listings identify the title as playable on PC through the Xbox ecosystem. Storefront information identifies single-player support, controller support, Steam achievements, Steam Cloud, and Family Sharing on the Steam version.

Controller play is officially supported, making the game suitable for a gamepad-focused setup. Mouse-and-keyboard play remains the natural alternative for PC users who prefer direct aiming and custom bindings. No verified Cabinet Mode, split-screen support, dedicated server tools, or mod framework is listed by the major PC storefronts.

Localization is limited compared with large role-playing games. English is the full-audio language, while storefront listings identify English, French, Italian, German, and Latin American Spanish for interface and subtitles. Players should not expect a broad selection of dubbed languages.

The PC listings do not identify a separate anti-cheat system, which is consistent with the game's single-player design. They also do not present the title as a live-service product requiring competitive server infrastructure. Exact launcher behavior depends on whether the game is purchased through Steam, Epic, or Xbox.

Similar PC Games

High On Life shares its colorful, irreverent shooter identity with fast-moving humorous third-person shooters such as Sunset Overdrive, especially in its preference for exaggerated weapons, bright environments, and comic-book absurdity. The camera perspective and traversal systems differ, but both games treat tone as a major part of their action design.

Players looking for a more choice-driven science-fiction adventure can compare it with first-person space RPGs like The Outer Worlds. That game emphasizes dialogue checks, faction decisions, companions, and character builds, while High On Life keeps its progression lighter and places more weight on weapon abilities and comedic pacing.

These comparisons are useful because High On Life sits between several categories. It is more combat-focused than a dialogue-heavy RPG, more authored than an open-ended sandbox, and more character-driven than a conventional linear shooter.

High On Life FAQ

What is the current PC name of High On Life?

The current Steam, Epic Games Store, and Xbox listings use the name High On Life. No verified rebrand, renamed definitive edition, or replacement PC storefront title was identified.

Is High On Life multiplayer or co-op?

No. High On Life is a single-player game and does not provide online co-op, local co-op, split-screen, or competitive multiplayer modes.

Does High On Life include High On Knife?

No. High On Knife is a separate paid add-on. The base game can be purchased on its own, while bundle options combine the original campaign with the expansion.

What kind of game is High On Life?

It is a first-person comedy shooter with action-adventure exploration, bounty missions, light equipment progression, collectible hunting, and ability-gated areas. It is not a traditional role-playing game with a deep skill-tree system.

Can you play High On Life with a controller on PC?

Yes. PC storefront listings identify controller support, and the game is designed to work with both gamepads and standard mouse-and-keyboard controls.

What languages does the PC version support?

English is the full-audio language. Interface and subtitle support includes English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish for Latin America, according to current storefront listings.