It seems like many AAA games these days are trying to break boundaries and redefine genres, but then a game like High on Life comes along that just wants players to have fun. It is not trying to break new ground, it has little interest in redefining what shooters are, and Squanch Games has no need to pack days' worth of content inside. The game simply gives players a talking gun and tells them to go shoot aliens while they laugh at every turn, and that is very refreshing.
High on Life knows what it is, and it is not trying to do anything different. Squanch Games crafted a brisk 10-hour experience through colorful planets filled with laugh-out-loud moments. It had no need to be anything more than that, and players seem to have fallen in love with it. It is one of the most popular Xbox Game Pass titles, and is the largest third-party launch in Game Pass history. It is not a particularly impressive game by any means, but it knows how to deliver a hilarious adventure for players to enjoy.
So Many AAA Games Try to Break Boundaries
Almost every E3 there seems to be a new title that will redefine what players think games can do. Naughty Dog tries to always top itself with its next story, Hideo Kojima is trying to craft an entirely new genre of game with Death Stranding, Ubisoft wants to give players months worth of content in expansive Assassin's Creed RPGs, and every Call of Duty seems to get hyped up as the next big thing. So many AAA studios want to break barriers and forge new paths, and it can get pretty overwhelming.
There is nothing wrong with attempting to break boundaries or releasing expansive titles that take weeks to beat. Experimenting can lead to some pretty interesting games, and games packed full of content can be a lot of fun. However, it feels like almost every major AAA studio is trying to do this at the expense of creating a fun title. Assassin's Creed Valhalla can feel like a slog, many players got bored with the Death Stranding gameplay, and Call of Duty is often criticized for being bland. In their mission to shake things up, some studios seem to have left out the fun for many players.
High on Life Just Tries to be Fun
High on Life knows what it is from the minute players start the game. High on Life does not take itself seriously, it does not aim to tell this deep story or shake up the formula, and it has no interest in keeping players around longer than they need to be. They simply shoot goo covered aliens in a brief story, and then are sent on their way. The game does not out stay its welcome, and it is a pretty wild ride from start to finish.
It feels like Squanch Games knew that players sometimes just want to have fun, and that is what it delivered with High on Life. It almost feels like an old-school shooter like Doom, but a bit more colorful. Players are thrown into a wild scenario with powerful weapons and have to shoot their way to victory. It is a nice change of pace from the expansive titles that the AAA industry seems to churn out constantly, and its success has helped show that many players want more funny short experiences like it.
Squanch Games knocked it out ot the park when it came to giving players a fun adventure in High on Life, and it has made many players excited to see what the studio will do next. While AAA studios are trying to change their respective genres with groundbreaking experiences, High on Life seems to have shaken things up in a far shorter span of time. It just feels like a video game in its purest form, and players from all over seem to be yearning for more like it.
High on Life is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.