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Hello, I’m Alec Robbins, head author on Squanch Video games’ High On Life and its High On Knife DLC (out at the moment!) It’s sort of like a mini-sequel that bridges between the bottom sport and no matter else we do subsequent. It’s not completely an epilogue, however we like to think about it as a bonus episode. It’s not completely a horror expertise, however it positively leans into the style in ways in which we didn’t absolutely discover with Excessive On Life. So let’s speak about horror!
I’ve some aversions to horror films and I virtually by no means search them out – however my companion loves them so I do watch them on a regular basis. My background is in comedy, and I all the time speak about how comedy and horror are precisely the identical to me, simply with completely different context. If you happen to’re constructing comedy, otherwise you’re constructing horror, you’re doing the very same labor. The entire idea of attempting to create a setup that flows right into a punchline that surprises folks and makes them giggle – that’s equivalent to the construction and horror; you’re attempting to arrange some pressure that you just then launch, however as a substitute of a punchline, it’s a scare.
![High on Knife Screenshot](https://news.xbox.com/en-us/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/HoK_DLC_BallFight_Screenshot-41c18af76ffcc3290221.jpg)
Hello, I’m Alec Robbins, head author on Squanch Video games’ High On Life and its High On Knife DLC (out at the moment!) It’s sort of like a mini-sequel that bridges between the bottom sport and no matter else we do subsequent. It’s not completely an epilogue, however we like to think about it as a bonus episode. It’s not completely a horror expertise, however it positively leans into the style in ways in which we didn’t absolutely discover with Excessive On Life. So let’s speak about horror!
I’ve some aversions to horror films and I virtually by no means search them out – however my companion loves them so I do watch them on a regular basis. My background is in comedy, and I all the time speak about how comedy and horror are precisely the identical to me, simply with completely different context. If you happen to’re constructing comedy, otherwise you’re constructing horror, you’re doing the very same labor. The entire idea of attempting to create a setup that flows right into a punchline that surprises folks and makes them giggle – that’s equivalent to the construction and horror; you’re attempting to arrange some pressure that you just then launch, however as a substitute of a punchline, it’s a scare.
![High on Knife Screenshot](https://news.xbox.com/en-us/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/UPDATED_HoK_DLC_PeroxisPoacherCombat_Screenshot_v2-1-d2fc624e2911ee452f32.jpg)
The primary half of the Excessive On Knife DLC is goofy, the place you’re exploring this vibrant place referred to as Peroxis. You’re there as a result of Knifey (one among Excessive On Life’s speaking weapons) received a missed-package slip, and he convinces you to journey there to choose it up your self. You go to this place referred to as Salt Lick Metropolis, which is populated by a bunch of slug-like aliens. It’s full of facet missions and humorous moments and peculiar issues to discover. After which that sort of leads into the stark change midway by way of the DLC the place you’re all of a sudden in what we describe internally as a haunted transport warehouse, Muxxalon, which was completely not impressed by any real-life firms. We made issues darker and added a flashlight, that are clearly slam-dunk horror tropes.
Regardless that horror and comedy are related, writing these particular horror moments was difficult for me at first as a result of I come from comedy. I think about which jokes are gonna land, however I used to be initially frightened in regards to the horror. In each circumstances, you actually can’t inform for certain till it’s constructed up sufficient you could truly play by way of it when the voice appearing is in and see if it’s timed accurately. That’s when you’ll be able to actually inform if it’s gonna get amusing. However there was horror stuff the place the lighting wasn’t in but and the sound design wasn’t fairly there so typically we couldn’t inform if it was going to be scary till a lot later within the course of. So I really feel like horror was truly the tougher factor for us to get proper this time round. However that’s fairly pure as a result of we’ve clearly perfected the artwork of comedy.
![High on Knife Screenshot](https://news.xbox.com/en-us/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/HoK_DLC_GusSpooked_Screenshot-7055c39e170895a1db4f.jpg)
In Excessive On Life, we’ve got characters which might be continuously making quips and that may sort of smash the vibe of horror. We even have this complete part the place the participant is first launched to the Muxxalon warehouse, stuffed with dialogue and jokes. However after enjoying by way of it, we ended up taking out all of the dialogue there simply to make it really feel a little bit scarier. With the dialogue it simply didn’t really feel scary. It wasn’t working. If the characters are speaking and making jokes then they’re not scared so why ought to I be scared as a participant? That first intro space within the second half of the DLC was the most important check for us as a result of we needed to make the actually robust name to tug again. Even one out-of-place line would smash that second.
I prefer it when comedy turns into horror and vice versa, the place it’s arduous to separate them. My premise for Muxxalon and the way it operates is actually “What in case your boss was all the time over your shoulder? What in the event that they had been actually connected to your shoulder?” What if as a substitute of like, simply having a boss in an workplace who comes by and walks the ground… they’re a parasite connected to your shoulder telling you to get again to work. It’s absurd and humorous but additionally? Perhaps a little bit horrifying in follow? Perhaps?
![High on Knife Screenshot](https://news.xbox.com/en-us/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/HoK_DLC_KnifeyChainsawMayhem_Screenshot-1-e827b43502874fde45d0.jpg)
Numerous the pure scares got here out of these primary concepts, they usually had been actually dropped at life by Gabourey Sidibe, who performs the boss of this operation, Mux. She was actually humorous, however she might get REALLY menacing. So it’s the truth of like, what in case your boss was this evil glob that has taken over each sq. inch of this facility and will seem at any second from any wall? It’s the final word surveillance.
However Excessive On Knife is tremendous humorous, even with these horrific components. I’m an enormous fan of Ken Marino, and he performs your parasite. And we did a lot with him. There’s an entire branching path, virtually dating-sim a part of the sport, the place most gamers are gonna undergo it a method, however there’s like, in all probability 5 – 6 utterly completely different routes you’ll be able to take by way of this. And the recording session for that alone was like a full session. There’s a lot extra to speak about, however I solely have a lot house. It’s humorous and spooky, and I’m actually happy with our staff at Squanch and what we had been in a position to accomplish with the DLC.
Excessive On Life’s Excessive On Knife DLC is now accessible for $14.99 on PC and Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. The bottom sport is offered to Xbox Recreation Go subscribers, and we even have an exclusive Xbox Game Pass Bundle, which incorporates each Excessive On Life and Excessive On Knife for $19.99.
Excessive On Life: Excessive On Knife
Squanch Video games, Inc.
$14.99
$13.49
Obtainable October third
It’s been 2 years for the reason that Bounty Hunter defeated the G3 cartel. Now Knifey wants assist monitoring down a mysterious bundle from his homeworld. Will they get blended up with a pleasant big, a pinball gun, poaching rings, and a terrifying intergalactic transport firm? Yeah. Certain.
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