We received to do a Excessive on Life hands-on preview at PAX West 2022. When somebody hears the phrase excessive on life, what do they consider; what do you consider?
Most will generally consider somebody dwelling life fortunately because of what’s going on of their private life; these persons are described as completely satisfied and content material with life.
The opposite thought course of is somebody getting by life stoned doing what they’ll to make it by. Now, a brand new thought will come to thoughts once you hear the phrases excessive on life. That new that means is Justin Roiland and Squanch Video games’ new recreation Excessive on Life.
The Setting
At PAX West 2022, I met with Justin Roiland and Squanch Video games to preview their upcoming recreation Excessive on Life. The PAX West demo was the identical demo proven at Gamescom the earlier week. This time, nevertheless, we had the chance to get our palms on the sport and really feel what it’s prefer to stay in a dystopian world the place people are used as medication by aliens.
Throughout our assembly, I received to expertise Excessive on Life in a fashion not like some other. For the assembly, I met Squanch Video games on the W Seattle. The assembly came about on the twenty fifth ground and as we sat there, we may really feel the constructing swaying with every heavy breeze.
As somebody who’s afraid of heights, this made enjoying the demo an expertise not like some other. Specializing in the sport whereas making an attempt to override a worry of falling in actual life made every soar much more suspenseful.
Gameplay
In the beginning of the sport, the participant is launched to the fundamentals of the sport and universe. Weapons will not be simply objects however dwelling, pondering beings. Tasked with their first mission, the participant units out to make a reputation for themselves as a bounty hunter.
The primary mission is certainly one that won’t solely present the participant the ropes however introduce them to quite a lot of the sport’s mechanics. Sure, Excessive on Life is a shooter, however the recreation seems to have a give attention to decisions.
Inside the first 10 minutes of the sport, the participant is launched to the sport’s morality system. Every choice that the participant makes can have a long-lasting affect within the recreation. The primary alternative comes as soon as exterior the home, the participant can select to discover the realm or comply with the mission’s path. For sake of time, I selected to comply with the mission’s path main us to the gate of the slums.
This gate is guarded by two brothers, one purple and one blue. The participant can select to go with one of many two gatekeeping aliens. After making your first alternative, the 2 aliens ask if you wish to change your thoughts. Slightly than altering it, I caught to my weapons and complimented the purple alien. The second main alternative was selecting to shoot a child or not.
Ultimately, any guilt you’re feeling for selecting to remove the shit talker is shortly allotted after a dialog with the slum’s residents and his mom. From our brief time with the demo, it’s unsure whether or not or not the choice you make shall be impactful or have lasting penalties.
How Did it Really feel?
Slightly than supplying you with all a play-by-play of the gameplay, let’s give attention to how the sport felt; if you wish to see the precise gameplay, take a look at the later Gamescom 25 min preview. Excessive on Life permits the participant to step right into a vibrant world that they’d not see in a typical recreation. Visually the artwork model appears like a pleasant mix of Bulletstorm and Sundown Overdrive.
Gameplay-wise, Excessive on Life outshines a number of the most beloved first-person shooters. Who doesn’t love the thought of killing aliens whereas swinging across the map and listening to jokes from their speaking weapons?
The dialog within the recreation takes a extra comedic method fairly than a critical nature. Excessive on Life appears to be like to push the envelope whereas nonetheless giving gamers what they crave. Fight at instances could be chaotic however the recreation doesn’t depart you ill-equipped. The boss combat reveals {that a} shooter’s boss could be difficult and enjoyable with out being overpowered.
Excessive on Life applies its platforming components with capturing mechanics to make the boss combat really feel like a battle for survival fairly than a newbie’s boss battle. Throwing the participant into the deep finish of the bounty searching life fairly than having their hand being held. If the remainder of the sport is something to go by, gamers are in for a wild journey.
As for the comedy components, Squanch Video games appears to be like to offer their gamers with amusing with out targetting anybody or something particularly. In my dialog with Justin Roiland, he expressed that the sport’s comedic envelope will push the envelope however not unfold hate. Excessive on Life appears to be like to make gamers snicker whereas attending to kill quite a lot of aliens.
Excessive on Life Takeaways
Our Excessive on Life preview was a once-in-a-lifetime sort of expertise. The comedic components I received to expertise gave me a great snicker whereas serving to to remove any worry. The gameplay mechanics have been easy and well-balanced with the shooter elements feeling acquainted.
The swinging mechanics utilizing Knifey do take a bit to get used to however after dying to the primary boss, you begin to get an understanding of the ability you wield; it will likely be attention-grabbing to see what new paths could be discovered by swinging world wide. Though I’ve seen a number of the different weapons within the trailers, I’ve but to expertise their personalities and mechanics.
As soon as enveloped within the story, I didn’t wish to put Excessive on Life down. Excessive on Life is about to launch on December thirteenth, 2022; it will likely be accessible on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Sequence X|S. Search for our interview with Justin Roiland about Squanch Video games, Rick and Morty, Excessive on Life, and extra later this week.