Ahead of the release, critics have been going hands-on with the full game to provide some reviews. We've also been playing High on Life here at Pure Xbox (the PC version), but unfortunately we received our review code quite late, so we're delaying our verdict for up to 24 hours as we continue to push through to the end of the campaign (update: our review is now live, and we've added it to the roundup below).
With that said, here's what the early reviews are saying about High on Life so far:
"High On Life is easily one of the funniest games I’ve played in a while and is a great game to close the year out with."
"Squanch Games has managed to capitalise on the mistakes Trover made, as well as find holes in the FPS genre to create an enjoyable shooter filled with gross humour that never failed to make me laugh. There’s not a ton to do outside of the main story, but that doesn’t mean that the writing or structure of it ever failed to give me something to like."
"[Some] admittedly serious technical concerns aside, High on Life is otherwise a consistently entertaining game from start to finish. It proves Squanch Games is capable of delivering an excellent traditional gaming experience alongside its high-quality VR titles, and it will be exciting to see what the studio does next.
"Let's be real for a second: High on Life isn't reinventing the wheel. To the game's credit, it's difficult to do something in the FPS genre we've never seen before. Though, I am confident in High on Life's ability to provide players with a good time. You are guaranteed to laugh and have fun."
"Overall, High on Life is a solid first-person shooter/adventure game. The action is exciting, and the boss fights are frustrating in their difficulty but satisfying once you take down someone."
"High on Life is a confident and capable Metroidvania that takes real pleasure in being as weird and outlandish as is reasonably possible. In presenting combat underpinned by chatting weapons and worlds wrought with endless distraction, Squanch Games has created something that is well worth your time, even if some of its elements lack refinement."
"As-is, High on Life is great weekend Game Pass pickup, and something to go into with caution if you’re a fan of Roiland’s work. I appreciate what Squanch Games is doing in the industry as a whole, but Trover Saves the Universe was a much better distillation of Roiland and company’s humor in a sounder package."
"Some people are going to eat this stuff up, regardless of what we think, so it's a shame that it ties this sneering attitude to bland gameplay, tired puzzles, dumb AI and a world that just isn't fun to explore or inhabit in any way. Dude. That is harsh."
"Anyone who isn’t thrilled at the idea of having Roiland constantly chattering in their ear for a dozen hours straight will likely find the game’s incessant need to force itself on the player annoying. With the addition of uncompelling combat, frustrating exploration, and a lack of anything else to offer players, High on Life is one of the most annoying, derivative, and slogging experiences in years."
"High on Life doesn't care whether you think it's terrible, so why should I waste your time spelling it out? This is a vapid action game and an empty, ramshackle satire locked in a defensive crouch of indifference towards both your and its own existence."
The majority of critics seem to be having a good time with High on Life so far, then, although we haven't seen that many scores just yet — probably because a lot of reviewers are still trying to finish the game! High on Life doesn't have a Metacritic score at the time of writing, but its OpenCritic rating is currently sitting at 73.
