Bountiful surprises and controversy are the talk of the gaming world as the iconic talking gun comedy shooter, High On Life, has finally debuted on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, seven months after it was released exclusively for Xbox and PC.
Squanch Games, the developer of the game, marked this surprise launch with an announcement at the San Diego Comic-Con 2023, much to the delight of eager PlayStation enthusiasts who’ve been awaiting its launch ever since a series of leaks popped up a few days back.
Mike Fridley, the studio director, announced, “The fans have spoken. And spoken. And spoken,” alluding to the anticipation that had been building up among PlayStation fans. High on Life, priced at $59.99, was unveiled with a whimper on both the PS4 and PS5, a somewhat unusual move as PlayStation rarely releases new games on Saturdays. Nonetheless, this surprise added to the excitement among gamers.
The game first appeared on the scene on Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC last December. The quirky shooter quickly established itself as a smash hit, with the Xbox Game Pass facilitating it to reach over 7.5 million players. It was the biggest Xbox Game Pass release of last year, the biggest third-party launch in Game Pass history, and the most significant single-player game launch on Game Pass ever.
High on Life has an entertaining premise – players take control of a bounty hunter who uses talking weapons to combat an alien drug cartel.
While its launch was met with resounding success, it wasn’t without its fair share of controversies. The game was developed by Squanch Games, founded by Justin Roiland, the co-creator of Rick and Morty. However, Roiland has since resigned from his position in the company, following charges of domestic battery and false imprisonment which were later dropped due to insufficient evidence. Regardless of the legal resolution, various other individuals accused Roiland of inappropriate behavior, leading to his removal from both Rick and Morty and Solar Opposites.
Looking forward, Squanch Games has announced the first DLC update, High on Knife, set to launch across all platforms this fall. This DLC brings in a new talking gun character named Harper, voiced by Sarah Sherman of Saturday Night Live, and the arrival of a new boss, Mux, voiced by Gabourey Sidibe of Precious and American Horror Story fame.
Justin Roiland, who voiced the key characters in the main game, is noticeably absent from the post-launch DLC following a messy departure, proof of Squanch’s insistence on distancing the game from its controversial creator.
Despite the mixed reviews, High on Life continues to make strides. While some players recommend waiting for the game to go on sale, especially for those who aren’t overly fond of Justin’s humor, others relish the unique gameplay and distinctive characters.
Undeniably, the game’s identity is intrinsically tied to Roiland’s sense of humor, creating a lingering curiosity about how the studio will continue to evolve.
As we look toward the future, we can only speculate about the potential impact of these recent changes on the game and its forthcoming DLC. However, one thing is clear – PlayStation gamers who have long anticipated High on Life now have the chance to finally immerse themselves in the game’s intriguing universe.
