High on Life: High on Knife review

High on Life was a surprise hit when it dropped last December, improving the allure of Xbox Game Pass in the process. A lot has happened at Squanch Games since its release, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the humour and gameplay its FPS shooter managed to provide. High on Knife offers up more of the same, albeit a few new guns and a new world called Peroxis, and with some funny dialogue and a colourful return to form, it’s worth trying, even if it is over before it feels like its truly begun. Moving forward without Justin Roiland has presented clear hurdles, especially for Rick and Morty, but for High on Life, he isn’t missed at all.

High on Knife picks up two years after the main game, where you head on a wild goose chase to return a package that was sent to the wrong place. What ensues is a familiar type of experience where finding collectable cards adds to the few hours of content. One of the newest additions to your weapons is the B.A.L.L. gun, a pinball-esque firearm controlled by an alien alternative to the Blue Man Group. It fires metallic balls at enemies, with bullets bouncing back out to hit multiple enemies. You can also fire bumpers into the environment for a chain of hits, with an explosive clout that can do tons of damage.

The world of Peroxis isn’t particularly impressive, but there’s some decent level design in how it focuses on verticality, making you use your thrusters to full affect. The slug-like aliens that constantly cough all over you are amusing, offering up the same gross humour you’re used to. If you’ve not played High on Life, the option to jump right into the DLC is available from the main menu, and while you can’t return to the original game with the new B.A.L.L. gun, there are some stand out moments that make it worth playing, specifically the spoof of Cheers, where you head to a familiar bar with slugs replacing characters from the Boston comedy. Well, apart from Fraiser, as Fraiser is actually in it, obviously.

By the time you’ve gotten to the end of the DLC, you’re wishing their was more to do. A couple more hours with a wider range of quests and new ideas would have been welcomed. Knifey is as good as ever, still wanting to stab everything that moves and cause mayhem. It does little more than what High on Life did, featuring the same kind of mechanics, but even though it only adds a few extra hours of content, it was still a fresh shot of Harmon humour topped off with a cool new gun and funny characters. There’s little more to say about the High on Knife DLC, but with a lack of comedy-centric video games out there, this short addition is still worth dipping your toes into.