How ‘High On Life 2’ Makes You Play the Joke, Not Just Hear It

High on Life 2 is the latest comedic FPS game from Squanch Games, released last month. Humor was a significant part of the original High on Life, and the sequel leans even more into that comedic sensibility.

Narrative Director Alec Robbins explained that the team inserts jokes that play with the player. The jokes are often derived from moments that actually make the developers laugh, rather than forcing jokes into cutscenes.

“Most jokes in the game come from either something that’s making us personally laugh or from something we’ve always wanted to see in a video game,” Robbins told Xbox Wire.

Gatlians, which are talking weapons, have distinctive personalities, adding to the comedic humor. Some personality traits the weapons have are being wild, selfish and cowardly. The weapons fill any dead space with dialogue for the player, even if the player is just standing idle. Voice actors such as Ken Marino and Tim Robinson help bring that comedic feel to life through their acting talent and well-crafted lines.

Timing can be another critical factor for comedy. Comedic content is tough to execute in a game space, as it is generally the player’s choice of how fast they will move and what they focus on. Instead of locking players into static camera views or requiring them to see each joke that is told (which could cause frustration if they do not choose to), High on Life 2 allows players to opt in. This means many of the jokes are triggered by discovery or curiosity, so players who take their time exploring their surroundings can still move quickly and be rewarded for doing so. Players who prefer to move at a faster pace are not penalized for doing so.

The reason High on Life 2 succeeds is that it treats humor as a tool rather than a gimmick. The developers and writers prove that being funny isn’t just about writing, but about bending jokes into player timing and interaction.