High on Lifewas released back in December 2022, originally as an Xbox console exclusive. Developed by Squanch Games,High on Lifeis a first-person shooter that puts irreverent humor at the forefront of the experience, which proved to be rather divisive among critics. While some enjoyedHigh on Life’s absurdity, others found its humor a little one-note and overly cynical. Regardless,High on Lifemanaged to become a top-selling game on Steam and themost played Xbox Game Pass titleduring the week of its release, which makes the announcement of an upcoming sequel make a lot of sense.
Announced during Xbox’s June Showcase,High on Life 2will launch on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation simultaneously this winter. Based on its reveal trailer,High on Life 2will be upping the ante significantly, bringing more substance and style to the table, so much so that it could end up being a sort of spiritual successor to one overlooked Xbox exclusive.
High on Life 2 Could Be a Spiritual Successor to Sunset Overdrive
Sunset Overdrive Is an Oft-Forgotten Xbox Exclusive
Released in October 2014 as anXbox One exclusive,Sunset Overdriveis an action-adventure title developed by Insomniac Games, the studio that went on to make the PlayStation first-partySpider-Manseries. Set in the year 2027,Sunset Overdriveis an incredibly stylish shooter that sees players grinding on rails, sliding down ziplines, and blasting away at brightly-colored monsters with an array of over-the-top weaponry.
Sunset Overdriveperformed quite well critically. Many praised the game’s frenetic humor, its bright and colorful visuals, and its eccentric personality, all of which were reinforced by the game’s fast-paced action gameplay. But unfortunately,Sunset Overdrivedidn’t do quite as well commercially. According to confidential documents that leaked during theInsomniac ransomware attack in December 2023, the developer allegedly made a profit of just $567 onSunset Overdrive, despite it selling 1.9 million units.
Given those sales numbers, it seems extremely unlikely that fans will ever get a sequel toSunset Overdrivefrom Insomniac Games. And even though Sony bought the rights to Insomniac’s previous IP when it acquired the studio, it doesn’t seem likely the publisher will task Insomniac with making aSunset Overdrivesequel when the studio already has its hands full with Marvel projects.
High on Life 2 Echoes Sunset Overdrive’s Personality and Gameplay
With no signs ofan officialSunset Overdrivesequelon the horizon, fans are forced to find similar experiences wherever they can, andHigh on Life 2might provide just that.High on Life 2’s reveal trailer was a frantic burst of colorful vibrancy and high-octane action, depicting the player-character skateboarding their way through a variety of lively locations and blasting away an assortment of cartoonish goons.
Though the trailer lacks much of the originalHigh on Life’s irreverent humor, it’s very likely the final product will lean into absurd scenarios and tongue-in-cheek jabs at pop-culture. And when this humor is combined with the game’s seemingly vibrant world, otherworldly enemy design, and fast-paced action gameplay,High on Life 2could end up feeling like a sort of spiritual successor toSunset Overdrive.
