Reviewed on: Xbox Series X/S
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: Squanch Games
Developer: Squanch Games
Release: February 13, 2026
Rating: Mature

High On Life 2 is right on time. At a moment in time that seems increasingly bleak, Squanch Games’ latest project has dropped in to let you escape for a bit, laughing like an idiot while you do so. The typical Squanch brand of humor – the kind you might see on Adult Swim shows like Rick and Morty and Smiling Friends – runs rampant through dialogue, visual gags, and unexpected story twists. Combat and movement feel terrific thanks to the new skateboard system, the world has enough hidden in its corners to keep you wanting more, and it all fits into a 10 to 12-hour first-person shooter package that, while sometimes long in the tooth, doesn't overstay its welcome. 

High On Life 2 picks up with the same Bounty Hunter from the first game, but this time, they've gone through a personality shift. They're now The Outlaw, after an early fumbled mission forces them to turn their guns against fellow bounty hunters, breaking the code in the process. The pharmaceutical company that caused the botch, Rhea Pharmaceuticals, once again wants to use humans as drugs for aliens, only this time they want to distribute the goods as prescription medication. Yep, it's time to take on Big Pharma. 

To do so, you will select and hunt down specific targets involved with Rhea Pharma, including an elite billionaire bankrolling the company, a politician trying to swing legislation beneficial to the company, and more. The social commentary is about as subtle as a hammer to the skull, but the story is well written, which makes that commentary worth experiencing. 

 

The Outlaw is once again equipped with Gatlians, talking guns that provide as much commentary as they do combat prowess. Each Gatlian that joins you fulfills a certain firearm archetype: Sweezy is the automatic pistol, Gus is the shotgun, and Sheath is the assault rifle, among others. They all also have special abilities that help you get around in the world, and it helps make them all feel like equal parts of a big team. The banter back and forth between the talking guns and other characters is still as wacky as the first game, too.

There's also a new character named Jeppy, a human/Gatlian hybrid who, once his meter is charged, can enter a battle and perform three powerful electrical attacks before disappearing. He can also only say his own name, though he says it with such delight that smiles are inevitable. 

Unfortunately, Jeppy was also the source of a weird technical error in the Xbox version in which this was reviewed. Any activation of Jeppy would cause the game to crash. No warning, no justification, nothing but the Xbox dashboard's main menu. This began in the first battle after meeting Jeppy, and then continued in subsequent battles. Thankfully, no battles required the use of Jeppy, and one accidental Jeppy summon did bring him into action, but that took place in the final waves of enemies before the final boss, and by then, it was too little, too late. In all, the game crashed about five times during this review, but three of them were Jeppy-related, while the other two were random one-off instances.

While the world of High On Life 2 isn't overwhelmingly large, Squanch has made getting around in the city a breeze with a new skateboarding mechanic, frequently turning this first-person shooter into a first-person skater. Moving around the world on this skateboard is quick and easy, with plenty of places to grind a rail or jump onto a higher platform. The platforming is not quite as precise as I hoped, but thankfully, the checkpoint system is forgiving, allowing for quick restarts after falling into a pit. 

This new movement, in tandem with the varied arsenal, creates a combat system that's incredibly satisfying. Blasting through hordes of colorful and silly enemies is a delight, especially in later missions when you have more combat options to consider. Zooming around a battlefield, dodging enemy attacks, and returning fire makes for the best kind of chaos, all while the Gatlians cheer on the Outlaw as they're blasting away.

That extends to the boss fights as well, which are mostly standard "large arena against massive enemy" style battles, but still offer plenty of good action. In fact, there's one phase of a particular boss fight that's so off-the-wall, I genuinely do not think I have ever seen anything like it before. That is a cliche, yes, but in this case, it is difficult to come up with anything that remotely compares to it from any game in recent memory.

In and out of battle, the Gatlians are still very good at making you laugh, though most of the jokes fall into that Adult Swim irreverent style of humor. That style isn't everyone's cup of tea, but swearing and fart jokes do work hand-in-hand with some genuinely funny and clever moments. The shopping area in the hub world has some laugh-out-loud attributes, and you'll also once again be visiting a chain restaurant to have dinner – though this time, it's not Space Applebee's. 

More than all of that, the biggest high you'll get from High On Life 2 is the sheer creativity on display. It's abundantly clear that Squanch Games asked "what if we did this?" a lot during development, and most of those silly ideas made it into the final game. Wild thoughts like "What if we made a dual-wield weapon that's a married Gatlian couple on the edge of divorce, and explore that dynamic" or, "Hm, we need a voice actor for one NPC, what's John Waters up to?" are executed incredibly well throughout the entire game, and you never really know what's going to come next. 

High On Life 2 sets out to make you laugh, and it does a good job of it. It also sets out to bring you stylish, fast-paced combat with cool movement, and it does a good job of that, too. This is the kind of game that you can put on, laugh at for a while, and forget what's troubling you, even though reminders might slip in through the pointed social commentary. High On Life 2, despite being a battle against Big Pharma, is just what the doctor ordered.

Score: 8.75

About Game Informer's review system

The 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards took place yesterday, February 12, and the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has declared its winners. Continuing its stellar awards run, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 walked away with the most awards, with wins in five categories, including Game of the Year. 

Ghost of Yōtei also performed well as the second-most nominated title behind Clair Obscur. Other titles such as Blue Prince, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and Hades II also received recognition, and the event also saw former Naughty Dog president Evan Wells inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame.

Here's the list of every category and its nominees, with the winners highlighted in bold. 

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Game of the Year

• Arc Raiders
• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Dispatch
• Ghost of Yōtei

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Ghost Of Yōtei
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• South of Midnight
• The Midnight Walk

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Dispatch
• Ghost Of Yōtei
• The Midnight Walk

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Esquie
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Maelle
• Dispatch – Courtney/Invisigal
• Dispatch – Robert Robertson III/Mecha Man
• Ghost Of Yōtei – Atsu

Ghost of Yōtei

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Ghost Of Yōtei
• Herdling
• Mario Kart World
• Sword of the Sea

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

• Arc Raiders
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Ghost Of Yōtei
• Lumines Arise
• Split Fiction

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Consume Me
• despelote
• South of Midnight
• The Drifter

Outstanding Technical Achievement

• Arc Raiders
• Assassin's Creed Shadows
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Doom: The Dark Ages

Action Game of the Year

• Absolum
• Arc Raiders
• Doom: The Dark Ages
• Hades II
• Ninja Gaiden 4

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Adventure Game of the Year

• Blue Prince
• Dispatch
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Ghost Of Yōtei
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Family Game of the Year

• LEGO Party!
• LEGO Voyagers
• Lumines Arise
• Marvel Cosmic Invasion
• POPUCOM

Fighting Game of the Year

• 2XKO
• Capcom Fighting Collection 2
• Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
• Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
• WWE 2K25

Racing Game of the Year

• EA Sports F1 25
• Kirby Air Riders
• Mario Kart World
• Wheel World

Role-Playing Game of the Year

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• The Outer Worlds 2

Blue Prince

Sports Game of the Year

• EA Sports FC 26
• PGA Tour 2K25
• MLB The Show 25
• NBA 2K26
• Rematch

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• The Alters
• Drop Duchy
• Europa Universalis V
• The King is Watching
• StarVaders

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

• Ghost Town
• Hotel Infinity
• Marvel's Deadpool VR
• Star Wars: Beyond Victory – A Mixed Reality Playset
• Unloop

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

• Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked
• Ghost Town
• Marvel's Deadpool VR
• The Midnight Walk
• Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

• Baby Steps
• Blue Prince
• Consume Me
• despelote
• Dispatch

Hades II

Mobile Game of the Year

• Persona 5: The Phantom X
• Umamusume: Pretty Derby
• What The Clash?
• Where Winds Meet

Online Game of the Year

• Arc Raiders
• Battlefield 6
• Mario Kart World
• Marvel Rivals
• Split Fiction

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• Arc Raiders
• Blue Prince
• Hades II
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Öoo

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hades II
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

It's a new year, and as snow flurries start to settle, video game publishers are laying out the roadmap for 2026 and beyond. Here's everything announced at the February PlayStation State of Play, which debuted earlier today.

Kena: Scars of Kosmora Announced

Release Date: 2026 (PlayStation, PC)

Developer Ember Lab, helmed by the Grier brothers, announced a sequel to its 3D action platformer, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, during today's PlayStation State of Play. Kena: Scars of Kosmora follows an older, more experienced Kena who now helps living people as a spirit guide, equipped with a new staff and her fox-like spirit companion, which seemingly evolves into a mount later in the adventure. 

Ghost of Yōtei Legends Got a Release Date Trailer

Release Date: March 10 (PlayStation 5)

Coming alongside Patch 1.5, Ghost of Yōtei Legends is a four-player online cooperative multiplayer mode featuring four playable classes. Team up to defeat the demonic Yōtei Six. 

Death Stranding 2 On The Beach is Coming to PC

Release Date: March 19

Kojima Productions is bringing Death Stranding 2 to PC less than a year after releasing the esteemed sequel on PlayStation 5. The port includes quality-of-life improvements such as unlocked framerates, ultra-wide support, DualSense controller support, upscaling, and frame generation. 

Bad Robot Games Shares 4:Loop Gameplay 

Release Date: TBA (PlayStation 5, PC)

Game director Mike Booth showcases several emergent systems present in the upcoming cooperative shooter. The gameplay overview ends with a call for interested parties to sign up for playtesting. 

A Pragmata Demo is Available Now

Release Date: April 24 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC)

Kicking off a series of Capcom trailers, we got an extended look at Pragmata's otherworldly rendition of New York City, as quiet piano notes accompanied a heartfelt conversation between joint protagonists Diana and Hugh. The new trailer ends with the reveal of a Pragmata gameplay demo, available now across the game's various launch platforms. 

Leon Returns to RCPD in Resident Evil Requiem

Release Date: February 27 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC)

Yet another Resident Evil Requiem trailer showcases the upcoming first-person/third-person horror-action game featuring Leon S. Kennedy and newcomer Grace Ashcroft. However, the trailer ends as Leon visits a dilapidated Raccoon City Police Department many years after the events of Resident Evil 2.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered Announced

Release Date: March 3 (Current and Last Gen Consoles, Switch 1/2, PC)

The final chapter of the Soul Reaver saga, first released in 2003, is coming via Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered. The remaster features new character skins, lost levels, and a photo mode.  The Legacy of Kain series is also getting a new 2D action game, apparently. 

Strategy RPG Brigandine Abyss Announced

Release Date: 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC)

The next installment of Happinent's strategy RPG series, Brigandine Abyss, is coming later this year with over 100 unit classes and six main storylines to conquer. 

Dead or Alive 6: Last Round Coming to PS5

Release Date: June 25 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC)

Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja are releasing Dead or Alive 6 on the PlayStation 5 and other platforms. The updated version, titled Dead or Alive 6: Last Round, features the game's various DLC characters and an improved photo mode. Koie Tecmo announced new characters and costumes are arriving in future updates, and there's a free-to-play version of Dead or Alive 6: Last Round available at launch for curious players. 

Finally, the announcement concludes with the news of another Dead or Alive game in development for PlayStation 5.

Remedy Shows Off Control: Resonant Gameplay

Release: 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

In a new gameplay reveal trailer, developer Remedy Entertainment showcases Dylan Faden's traversal powers as the protagonist runs across the sides of buildings in an alternate version of Manhattan. The folding cityscape is reminiscent of strange but gripping scenes from movies like Inception or Dr. Strange. 

Co-Op Action RPG Crimson Moon Announced

Release: Fall 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Heavy metal plays as a disembodied voice speaks to the half-human, half-angel protagonists in the announcement trailer of Crimson Moon, a new cooperative action RPG set to release later this year. The video shows two characters fighting skeletal armies in decadent cathedrals and all manner of dark fantasy locales. 

Another Look at Beast of Reincarnation

Release Date: August 4 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Game Freak's upcoming action game impresses again in a new trailer showcased during today's State of Play. The video showcases breakneck combat sequences and massive bosses that fill arenas with deadly flora and fauna. 

Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition Releases Tomorrow

Release Date: February 13 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC)

Developer Digital Eclipse returns to lend its signature treatment to Ubisoft's Rayman series, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. This special edition features an interactive documentary and museum-like elements, and includes Rayman's five original versions. Explore the platforming mascot's history digitally tomorrow, or add it to your physical collection on June 26. 

Mina the Hollower Gets A New Demo Tomorrow

Release: Spring 2026 (Current and Last Gen Consoles, Switch 1/2, PC)

Watch Game Informer's making-of documentary, directed and filmed by yours truly, on Mina the Hollower while you wait for Yacht Club Games to release its upcoming Zelda-like sometime this Spring.

Nomada Studio's Neva is Getting a Prologue DLC

Release Date: February 19 (PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC)

Swordswoman Alba and her young wolf cub, Neva, return in a new DLC titled Neva: Prologue. Developer Nomada Studio introduces new mechanics and locations in the update, according to the reveal trailer. 

Yakoh Shinobi Ops

Release: 2027 (PlayStation 5)

Acquire and Shueisha Games revealed a new cooperative stealth game with an unexpected twist: an isometric camera. Infiltrate a Japanese castle town as one of four ninjas, each with seemingly unique abilities, while evading or assassinating demonic-looking guards. This game looks cool as hell!

Krafton Announces Project Windless

Release: TBA (PlayStation 5, TBD)

Krafton announced a video game adaptation of The Bird That Drinks Tears, a Korean novel about a rooster fighting off armies of zealots with its twin blades. 

Lucasfilm Debuts Star Wars: Galactic Racer Gameplay

Release Date: 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Lucasfilm just debuted a second trailer for Star Wars: Galactic Racer, this time showing off the various speeder bikes and podracing vehicles we can expect to pilot in its upcoming racing game. Look at those crash physics. 

007: First Light Gets Another Trailer

Release Date: May 27 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC)

IO Interactive debuted a montage-style trailer depicting several mission locations and story beats of 007: First Light, which you can read about in this month's Game Informer cover story.

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 Revealed

Release Date: August 27 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 1/2, PC)

Konami is bringing the remaining titles in its legendary Metal Gear Solid series, Guns of the Patriots and Peace Walker, to modern consoles and PC. Until now, MGS4 was only accessible on its original platform, the PS3. Additionally, an update to MGS Master Collection Volume 1 is coming later today, including new high-resolution graphic options. 

Darwin's Paradox Demo Out Tomorrow

Release Date: April 2 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC)

Konami's upcoming puzzle platformer, Darwin's Paradox, follows the misadventures of a young octopus after a mysterious force thrusts him out of the ocean and onto the streets. The game looks charming, and it's getting a demo tomorrow.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Announced

Release: 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC)

Konami has tapped acclaimed indie developers Motion Twin and Evil Empire to create a new 2.5D Castlevania title set 23 years after Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. The project is scheduled to be released later this year.

Silent Hill: Townfall Gets First Full-Length Trailer

Release: 2026 (PlayStation 5, PC)

Konami has revealed the first look at gameplay for Silent Hill: Townfall, a new game from Annapurna Interactive and Screen Burn, that's coming later this year. The trailer showcases the protagonist, Simon, waking up in St. Amelia, an oceanside town dotted with scattered, weatherworn protest signs. Not much is known about Simon, of course, but he appears to be wearing a hospital band and an IV still in his arm. 

Konami Announces Rev. Noir

Release: TBA (PlayStation 5, TBD)

In development for PlayStation 5, Konami's upcoming action RPG aims to cultivate the "heartfelt moments that define JRPGs," according to a spokesperson. 

Untitled John Wick Game Announced

Release: TBA (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

I hope they just call it John Wick: The Game.

Marathon Gets A New Trailer

Release: March 5 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Bungie returns to show off Marathon's creepy side in a new horror-ish trailer. A server slam kicks off on February 26. 

New PlayStation+ Additions Announced

Marvel Spider-Man 2 joins the program on February 17, while the classics catalog is expanding soon with Tekken: Dark Resurrection and Time Crisis.

Big Walk Gets Another Trailer

Release: 2026 (PlayStation 5, PC)

The next game from the studio behind Untitled Goose Game is coming to PlayStation 5 and continues to look great. I can't wait to play this cooperative, comedic hiking adventure. 

Housemarque Reveals Another Saros Trailer

Release: April 30 (PlayStation 5)

The trailer highlights the survivors of Echelon 4 alongside permanent progression systems and challenge modifiers. 

Unbreakable X-Men Coming to Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls

Release Date: August 6 (PlayStation, PC)

X-Men members Storm, Wolverine, Magik, and Danger prepare to join the fight. The upcoming Marvel fighting game is set to launch in early August. 

God of War Trilogy Remake

Release: TBA (PlayStation 5)

Santa Monica Studio announced a remake of the original God of War trilogy, which is now in early development. Don't expect to hear more about this one for a while. 

God of War: Sons of Sparta

Release Date: Available Today (PlayStation 5)

Santa Monica Studio has teamed up with Mega Cat Studios to shadow drop a God of War prequel featuring young Kratos and his brother, Deimos. Notably, the new 2D action game features a distinct pixel artstyle. 

Fatal Frame II is a hallmark of its era, and this remake looks to bring the Crimson Butterfly forward a few decades for new and old audiences alike. Does it snap a pretty picture? Kyle and Eric take a look in the latest preview.

The ultimate reveal of today's PlayStation State of Play was the teaser for God of War Trilogy Remake. As the name suggest, Santa Monica Studio is revisiting the original trilogy of games that turned Kratos from an angry Spartan warrior into an even angrier god-slaying icon.

TC Carson, the original voice actor for Kratos, greeted fans to explain that the Trilogy Remake has entered development but is in the early stages. Thus, it will be some time before Santa Monica will be able to share another update. "But I'm telling you, next time we come back, [we're] coming with something big, baby," says Carson. The teaser trailer only gave us a fiery logo to admire, but nothing else for the time being. 

While God of War, God of War II, and God of War III have been remastered in HD before, this will surely be the biggest overhaul these games have received yet. Though it will apparently be a while, we're very curious to see how Santa Monica updates the trilogy that put them on the map.