The massively popular first-person shooter High on Life makes no secret of its connections to Rick and Morty, but gaming fans may wonder how much the game is actually like the show. From the moment players begin playing the fictional game within the game, Buck Thunder II: Xenoslaughter (a clear Duke Nukem parody) the voice of Buck’s divorce attorney is eerily similar to Rick Sanchez. The first sentient alien gun the player befriends, the Gatlian named Kenny, sounds almost exactly like Morty Smith. The style of humor is also familiar to Rick and Morty fans, but there are some distinct differences that set them apart.

High on Life was developed by Squanch Games, the studio founded by Rick and Morty co-creator and primary voice actor Justin Roiland. The prior Squanch game, Trover Saves The Universe, was a hilarious platformer that also drew from the aesthetic and joke style of Rick and Morty. On many levels, High on Life is very much like Rick and Morty, but longtime fans of the show will also recognize where the game diverges. Rick and Morty was co-created by Dan Harmon, who previously produced Community. Harmon is not involved with Squanch games, meaning High on Life lacks his considerable impact on Rick and Morty’s narrative structure.

Related: Why High On Life Isn't On PS4, PS5, Or Switch

High On Life Brings Justin Roiland's Rick And Morty Style - Not Dan Harmon's

Though Rick and Morty is certainly an animated comedy, many fans enjoy the show's often remarkably well-constructed and creative stories, and surprisingly deep characterization. Where Roiland is known for ad-libbed additions to voice acting, Harmon is synonymous with his “Story Circle” writing framework (essentially a modern media-focused version of the Hero’s Journey monomyth concept popularized by Joseph Campbell). This leaves High on Life as a game that is like Rick and Morty in terms of many of its jokes, but not its narrative structure. The Marvel’s GotG writers had little comedy-writing experience, yet still made the 2021 game quite funny. Roiland brings a veteran comedian's experience to High on Life.

Some might compare High on Life to other ventures Roiland made independent of Harmon, like Solar Opposites. The Hulu comedy delivers some quality jokes, and Roiland’s voice acting provides a similar manic energy, but there are reasons Solar Opposites has not developed the same loyal following as Rick and Morty. A better point of reference for High on Life might be the Interdimensional Cable episodes from Rick and Morty’s earlier seasons. Those episodes provided a forum for a series of largely unrelated sketches playing on the limitless possibilities of televised entertainment across the multiverse, delivering a series of absurdist gags, much like High on Life.

Interdimensional Cable episodes also gave Roiland a format to liberally engage in extemporaneous comedy, ad-libbing many of the segments that were subsequently animated for the show. Despite the silly alien designs, High on Life has surprising gameplay depth, but its storytelling lacks the influence of Harmon who ensures that even the most gonzo premises contain legitimate stakes and character arcs in Rick and Morty. Within any given episode, at least one character will make sacrifices to achieve a goal and leave changed by the experience. Veteran fans note how Morty has grown more cynical since the show’s beginning, while Rick’s bravado slips further to betray a core of self-loathing.

High On Life Has Rick And Morty's Humor, But Not Its Originality & Story Structure

High on Life does not deliver the same narrative structure of an episode or a season of Rick and Morty. The player character is a silent cipher while the Morty soundalike Kenny interacts with others. Each of the leaders of the G3 cartel has their own quirks, and the various Gatlians the player acquires have distinct voices and personalities. Slaying the cartel bosses is purely an exercise in Metroidvania traversal and FPS shooting skills, however, and not every talking gun in High on Life has a character arc associated with their mission, like they would if the game’s script was closer to Rick and Morty episodes.

Rick and Morty is a comedy before all else, and so is High on Life. Where Rick and Morty remains insistent on originality and story structure, High on Life is solely channeling the comedic contributions of Roiland, not the authorial vision of Harmon. Players can expect new movement abilities and guns that help with puzzle solving, not characters who undergo Heroic Journey arcs or stories that could fit within Campbell’s monomyth. High on Life has jokes like Rick and Morty, and similar character designs, but that is where the similarities end, leaving it as one of the funniest games ever produced, albeit not one of the deepest.

More: How To Mute Guns in High on Life

Source: Squanch Games/YouTube