High On Life 2

PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo SwitchPremium

Health Score

MIXED

Watch Gameplay

About This Game

Super Review

High On Life 2 is a first-person shooter with a strong focus on combat against alien enemies and a distinctive, often crude, sense of humor. Its "Mixed" health score of 37 reflects significant content intensity and social risks, making it a challenging fit for younger players. Parents should be aware of the mature themes, violence, and potential for in-game purchases.

Super Review

Parent verdict

High On Life 2, scoring a "Mixed" 37, is a game with a specific appeal, primarily due to its unusual humor and shooter mechanics. It's a game best suited for older teens already accustomed to mature themes and fast-paced action. Parents considering this for younger players must understand the inherent violence, the unrated content, and the potential for crude jokes. It's not a broadly suitable title, and families will need clear rules regarding screen time and content exposure, especially given the unknown nature of its developer and content ratings.

What players actually do

Players repeatedly engage in first-person combat, aiming and firing various alien weapons to defeat enemies, which exercises hand-eye coordination and reaction time.
Players navigate diverse, often alien, environments to find objectives, requiring basic spatial reasoning and exploration skills.
Players progress through a narrative, encountering characters and engaging with dialogue that often features a crude, comedic tone, influencing their exposure to mature humor.

Where it shines

The game's unique and often absurd sense of humor provides a distinct personality, which can be entertaining for players who appreciate irreverent comedy.
Its core shooter mechanics offer opportunities for players to develop hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes in fast-paced combat scenarios.

Parent watch-outs

As a shooter, the game inherently involves frequent combat and violence against alien enemies, with the specific intensity and depiction of gore being uncertain due to the lack of an ESRB rating.
The description highlights a "unique, albeit potentially crude, sense of humor," which means children will be exposed to jokes and themes that may be inappropriate or uncomfortable for many families.
The presence of "potential for some in-game purchases" could introduce unexpected costs or pressure for children to spend money to enhance their gameplay experience.

Family rules worth setting

Limit play sessions to a set amount of time daily to ensure a healthy balance with other activities, especially given the unknown developer and game structure.
Play alongside your child for the first few sessions to assess the specific content, violence, and humor, deciding together if it aligns with family values.

Talk about this

Discuss what constitutes appropriate humor and how different forms of comedy, including crude jokes, might affect how people feel or think.
Talk about the concept of in-game purchases and why developers include them, helping your child understand the value of money and making informed spending decisions.

Play style

High On Life 2 focuses on sequential mission progression in a first-person shooter format. The difficulty is unknown but typical for shooters, requiring players to manage combat encounters and explore. The session rhythm likely involves completing objectives within levels, which can be picked up or put down between missions. It is primarily a solo experience, though social exposure through leaderboards or potential online interactions is unknown, posing a minor social risk if unmonitored.

Score Breakdown

Positive Aspects

Educational Value

1/5

Creativity

1/5

Pro-Social

1/5

Risk Factors

Addictive Monetization

2/5

Time Pressure / FOMO

1/5

Social Risk

2/5

Content Intensity

3/5

Why this rating

Educational Value

1/5

The game offers minimal educational value, typical for a pure shooter focused on combat. While some hand-eye coordination is exercised, it doesn't contribute significantly to broader learning or cognitive development, resulting in a score of 1.

Addictive Monetization

2/5

The risk for addictive monetization is present due to the "potential for some in-game purchases which could influence gameplay." While not explicitly predatory, any form of in-game purchasing introduces a risk of encouraging spending, leading to a score of 2.

Content Intensity

3/5

Content intensity is a significant concern, scoring 3, primarily due to the game being a shooter that inherently involves violence. The lack of an ESRB rating and the mention of "crude" humor further indicate potentially mature and intense content unsuitable for younger audiences.