High on Life: Release date, trailers, gameplay, and more

High on Life is expected to release in October 2022. We don’t have an exact date yet, but fans can look forward to getting their hands on the game before the busy holiday season. Of course, there’s always the chance for a delay, but the first reveal trailer released by Squanch Games showed off a title that looks to be rather far along in the development process — so we’ll cross of fingers and hope for the best.

Seeing as it was announced during the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase 2022, it should come as no surprise that High on Life is launching on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC via both Steam and the Epic Games Store. It will also be available day one on Xbox Game Pass.

High on Life was introduced as a “Console Launch Exclusive,” which likely means it’ll never see the light of day on PlayStation 4, PS5, or Switch. However, there’s a tiny chance that this is a timed-exclusivity deal, which would see the game launching on other consoles after a set period of time has elapsed. For now, however, it’s best to think that only Xbox and PC players will get to experience the upcoming adventure.

So far, we’ve only been treated to two trailers — the one released during the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase 2022 and a behind-the-scenes clip in the Extended Showcase. Clocking in at just under two minutes, the first trailer shows off the game’s eye-catching art style, along with plenty of gameplay footage and an irreverent sense of humor.

Meanwhile, the behind-the-scenes trailer gives you a closer look at the development of the game along with plenty of commentary.

High on Life is a first-person shooter driven by an off-the-wall narrative. You’ll play as a high school graduate dealing with an invasion of aliens that “get high off humanity.” Its plotline and ridiculous sense of humor seem to be among the main attractions so far (after all, this is coming from the co-creator of Rick and Morty and Solar Opposites), but that doesn’t mean it won’t offer engaging gameplay.

During the trailer, the developers described High on Life as an “action-adventure comedy Metroidvania first-person shooter.” While we don’t know exactly how important each of those words will be in the final product, it does give us an idea as to how the game will play. For one, the player can expect to unlock new abilities and guns as they progress through the game — ones that will not only help in battle but grant them access to previously restricted areas. And, as expected, comedy should be a focal point of the game.

It’s also confirmed that High on Life won’t be an open world. Instead, you’ll have set stages to work through that offer a fairly linear experience that’ll be driven by its sense of humor and stunning art style. You will, however, be able to pick the order you tackle each of these levels.

No multiplayer details have been shared for High on Life. For now, it seems the upcoming title will be strictly a solo experience.