Hello, I’m Alec Robbins, head author on Squanch Video games’ Excessive On Life and its Excessive On Knife DLC (out immediately!) It’s sort of like a mini-sequel that bridges between the bottom recreation and no matter else we do subsequent. It’s not solely an epilogue, however we like to think about it as a bonus episode. It’s not solely a horror expertise, but it surely undoubtedly leans into the style in ways in which we didn’t absolutely discover with Excessive On Life. So let’s discuss 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 at all times discuss how comedy and horror are precisely the identical to me, simply with totally different context. In the event you’re constructing comedy, otherwise you’re constructing horror, you’re doing the very same labor. The entire idea of making an attempt to create a setup that flows right into a punchline that surprises folks and makes them snort – that’s an identical to the construction and horror; you’re making an attempt to arrange some stress that you simply then launch, however as a substitute of a punchline, it’s a scare.
Hello, I’m Alec Robbins, head author on Squanch Video games’ Excessive On Life and its Excessive On Knife DLC (out immediately!) It’s sort of like a mini-sequel that bridges between the bottom recreation and no matter else we do subsequent. It’s not solely an epilogue, however we like to think about it as a bonus episode. It’s not solely a horror expertise, but it surely undoubtedly leans into the style in ways in which we didn’t absolutely discover with Excessive On Life. So let’s discuss 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 at all times discuss how comedy and horror are precisely the identical to me, simply with totally different context. In the event you’re constructing comedy, otherwise you’re constructing horror, you’re doing the very same labor. The entire idea of making an attempt to create a setup that flows right into a punchline that surprises folks and makes them snort – that’s an identical to the construction and horror; you’re making an attempt to arrange some stress that you simply then launch, however as a substitute of a punchline, it’s a scare.
The primary half of the Excessive On Knife DLC is goofy, the place you’re exploring this shiny 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 select 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 filled with facet missions and humorous moments and peculiar issues to discover. After which that sort of leads into the stark change midway by the DLC the place you’re instantly in what we describe internally as a haunted delivery 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.
Despite the fact that horror and comedy are related, writing these particular horror moments was tough 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 nervous in regards to the horror. In each instances, you actually can’t inform for certain till it’s constructed up sufficient which you could really play by 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 fun. 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 really 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.
In Excessive On Life, we’ve got characters which can be always making quips and that may sort of wreck 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 taking part in by it, we ended up taking out all of the dialogue there simply to make it really feel a 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 take a look at for us as a result of we needed to make the actually powerful name to drag again. Even one out-of-place line would wreck that second.
I prefer it when comedy turns into horror and vice versa, the place it’s exhausting to separate them. My premise for Muxxalon and the way it operates is basically “What in case your boss was at all times over your shoulder? What in the event that they have been actually hooked up 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 hooked up to your shoulder telling you to get again to work. It’s absurd and humorous but additionally? Perhaps a bit horrifying in apply? Perhaps?
Plenty of the pure scares got here out of these fundamental concepts, and so they have been actually delivered to life by Gabourey Sidibe, who performs the boss of this operation, Mux. She was actually humorous, however she may get REALLY menacing. So it’s the fact 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 last word surveillance.
However Excessive On Knife is tremendous humorous, even with these horrific parts. 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, most likely 5 or 6 utterly totally different routes you’ll be able to take by 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 area. It’s humorous and spooky, and I’m actually happy with our staff at Squanch and what we have been in a position to accomplish with the DLC.
Excessive On Life’s Excessive On Knife DLC is now out there for $14.99 on PC and Xbox One and Xbox Collection X|S. The bottom recreation is obtainable to Xbox Sport Cross subscribers, and we even have an unique Xbox Sport Cross 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 because the 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 large, a pinball gun, poaching rings, and a terrifying intergalactic delivery firm? Yeah. Positive.