High on Life was released back in December 2022, originally as an Xbox console exclusive. Developed by Squanch Games, High on Life is a first-person shooter that puts irreverent humor at the forefront of the experience, which proved to be rather divisive among critics. While some enjoyed High on Life's absurdity, others found its humor a little one-note and overly cynical. Regardless, High on Life managed to become a top-selling game on Steam and the most played Xbox Game Pass title during 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 2 will launch on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation simultaneously this winter. Based on its reveal trailer, High on Life 2 will 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.
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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 an Xbox One exclusive, Sunset Overdrive is an action-adventure title developed by Insomniac Games, the studio that went on to make the PlayStation first-party Spider-Man series. Set in the year 2027, Sunset Overdrive is 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 Overdrive performed 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 Overdrive didn't do quite as well commercially. According to confidential documents that leaked during the Insomniac ransomware attack in December 2023, the developer allegedly made a profit of just $567 on Sunset Overdrive, despite it selling 1.9 million units.
Given those sales numbers, it seems extremely unlikely that fans will ever get a sequel to Sunset Overdrive from 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 a Sunset Overdrive sequel 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 of an official Sunset Overdrive sequel on the horizon, fans are forced to find similar experiences wherever they can, and High on Life 2 might 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 original High 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 2 could end up feeling like a sort of spiritual successor to Sunset Overdrive.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- February 13, 2026
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Squanch Games
- Publisher(s)
- Squanch Games
