High on Life 2 doubles down on what made the original memorable: a lineup of foul-mouthed, sentient alien weapons that act as both combat tools and constant companions. While the sequel introduces new movement mechanics and a looser, more chaotic combat flow, the heart of the experience still revolves around its Gatlians. Each weapon brings a distinct personality, firing style, and special ability that directly shapes how you fight enemies, navigate environments, and solve puzzles throughout the campaign.
Not every weapon is unlocked at the same pace. Some alien guns are available from the opening missions, while others are tied to specific bounties, side missions, or optional exploration. Several weapons also gain much of their usefulness only after being upgraded, with improvements to damage output, headshot multipliers, ammo capacity, reload speed, and ability cooldowns significantly changing how they perform in real combat scenarios.
This guide covers every alien weapon in High on Life 2, explains how to unlock each one, and breaks down what they are best used for, including recommended upgrades to prioritize. Whether you want to collect the full arsenal, avoid missing optional weapons, or better understand which Gatlians make the chaos more manageable, this article serves as a complete, spoiler-light reference.
Every alien weapon in High on Life 2 and how to get them
1. Knifey
Unlocked: From the start
Knifey is the only melee-focused weapon in High on Life 2. While he lacks ranged attacks, he excels at finishing off staggered enemies and dealing heavy burst damage up close. Knifey is also frequently used in environmental interactions, including traversal mechanics and certain puzzle elements.
Because Knifey does not consume ammo, he is especially useful during reload windows or when enemies close the distance unexpectedly.
Best used for:
- Finishing weakened or stunned enemies
- Conserving ammo during intense fights
- Short-range burst damage
2. Gus
Unlocked: First mission (starting weapon)
Gus is a close-range shotgun-style weapon built around raw stopping power. His disc launcher fires heavy projectiles that can ricochet off walls and objects, allowing creative angles in enclosed spaces. Once upgraded, Gus becomes one of the strongest options for confined combat arenas.
Key upgrades:
- Cartridge Canal (800 Pesos): Increases magazine size for longer sustained fire
- Slug Chunker (1,500 Pesos): Significantly boosts close-range damage and boss DPS
Best used for:
- Tight corridors and enclosed combat
- High-damage bursts against large enemies
- Boss fights where positioning is limited
3. Sweezy
Unlocked: First mission (starting weapon)
Sweezy is a versatile SMG-style weapon that balances steady damage with utility-focused abilities. Her Time Bubble trick shot slows enemies, hazards, and moving platforms, making her essential for both combat control and puzzle-solving.
While she may not deal the highest damage, Sweezy’s flexibility makes her valuable throughout the entire game.
Key upgrades:
- Panic-Reloader (1,500 Pesos): Improves reload speed for smoother engagements
- Piercer Relaxant (1,200 Pesos): Speeds up charged shot timing, improving crowd control and puzzle utility
Best used for:
- Crowd control and slowing encounters
- Platforming and environmental puzzles
- Opening engagements safely
4. Creature
Unlocked: Jeppy pickup mission
Creature launches small alien offspring that swarm enemies and distract them. While their individual damage is limited, they provide excellent crowd control and breathing room during chaotic fights. Creature also plays a major role in puzzle sections that require indirect interaction.
With the right upgrades, Creature’s utility improves dramatically.
Key upgrades:
- Pressure Shot (1,500 Pesos): Boosts charged baby attack damage
- Dogbrain Overcharger (500 Pesos): Improves reload speed
- Brain Drain (Circuit Arcadia Challenge): Reduces Hypno Baby cooldown for better control uptime
Best used for:
- Distracting enemy groups
- Passive damage during firefights
- Puzzle-heavy sections
5. B.A.L.L.
Unlocked: Find three blue men in the open world
B.A.L.L. is an optional weapon not tied to main story progression. Once unlocked, it deploys a pinball-style bumper that sends projectiles bouncing unpredictably across the battlefield. While chaotic, it excels at hitting enemies in awkward positions or clustered areas.
Because it requires exploration to unlock, many players miss it entirely.
- Area denial and group damage
- Optional exploration rewards
- Unpredictable crowd clearing
6. Sheath
Unlocked: Senator Muppy Doo bounty
Sheath is a mid-range burst rifle that excels at precision damage and traversal-based mechanics. His Spike trick shot fires a controllable, electric projectile that can chain between enemies, create temporary traversal paths, and solve circuit-based puzzles. Positioning is critical, as Sheath rewards deliberate aim and situational awareness.
Once upgraded, Sheath becomes one of the most versatile weapons in the game, offering strong combat damage alongside puzzle utility.
Key upgrades:
- Poise Frame (1,500 Pesos): Increases stopping power, significantly boosting burst damage
- Cortex Cooler (1,200 Pesos): Reduces Spike cooldown, allowing more frequent special use
Best used for:
- Chained damage against grouped enemies
- Electrical and traversal puzzles
- Mid-range precision combat
7. Travis
Unlocked: Billionaire Larry Pinkstock bounty
Travis introduces gravity manipulation into your arsenal. His shots can lift enemies and objects, opening them up for aerial combos, environmental kills, and puzzle interactions. On his own, Travis deals respectable damage, but his true strength appears once Jan is unlocked.
Gravity-based abilities also make Travis essential for several traversal and platforming challenges.
Key upgrades (shared with Jan):
- Agony Dial (1,000 Pesos): Adds a headshot damage multiplier for massive DPS scaling
- Pouch Rounds (1,200 Pesos): Increases ammo capacity for longer firing sequences
Best used for:
- Gravity-based puzzles
- Setting up aerial combos
- High-damage headshot builds
8. Jan
Unlocked: Dinner with mum mission
Jan pairs directly with Travis, enabling dual-wielding once both weapons are unlocked. Her explosive slime attacks complement Travis’s gravity shots, allowing rapid alternating fire that dramatically increases overall damage output. While Jan cannot be used entirely independently from Travis, the combination is among the strongest in the game.
Together, they offer some of the highest sustained DPS available.
Key upgrades (shared with Travis):
- Agony Dial (1,000 Pesos): Essential for maximizing headshot damage
- Pouch Rounds (1,200 Pesos): Increases ammo capacity for extended dual-wield combat
Best used for:
- High DPS encounters
- Fast-paced combat
- Players comfortable with aggressive playstyles
9. Bowie
Unlocked: Finance Wiz James Stevenson bounty
Bowie’s defining feature is his Soul Hole ability, which reveals enemy weak points and hidden environmental objects. This makes him invaluable during boss fights and puzzle-heavy sections. While his firing rate is slow, Bowie’s damage output scales extremely well with upgrades.
Players who favor precision will find Bowie especially rewarding.
Key upgrades:
- Bone Lock (1,000 Pesos): Adds a headshot damage bonus for massive burst potential
- Portal Capacitor (1,200 Pesos): Reduces Soul Hole cooldown for more frequent weak-point reveals
- Flummis (Circuit Arcadia): Free upgrade that increases stopping power
Best used for:
- Boss fights and elite enemies
- Weak-point targeting
- Puzzle-solving and hidden interactions
10. Shoot-O
Unlocked: Party City store mission
Shoot-O is the most unconventional weapon in High on Life 2. He does not use traditional ammunition, instead relying on telekinetic throws to grab and hurl objects from the environment. Many of these objects can eliminate enemies in a single hit, making Shoot-O extremely effective in the right setting.
Because he removes the need to swap weapons for environmental interactions, Shoot-O streamlines both combat and traversal.
Best used for:
- Environmental combat
- One-shot eliminations
- Reducing weapon switching during encounters
Conclusion: mastering every weapon in High on Life 2
Collecting every alien weapon in High on Life 2 is about more than completion. Each Gatlian is designed to solve specific combat scenarios and environmental puzzles, and the game actively rewards players who switch weapons, chain abilities, and invest in the right upgrades. From Knifey’s melee burst damage to the raw DPS of Travis and Jan, every weapon has a clear role that becomes more impactful as enemies grow tougher and encounters become more complex.
Upgrades play an equally important role. Boosting headshot multipliers, ammo capacity, reload speed, and ability cooldowns can dramatically change how a weapon performs, often turning situational tools into core parts of your loadout. Prioritizing upgrades like Poise Frame for Sheath or Agony Dial for Travis and Jan makes late-game combat far more manageable and reduces frustration during boss fights and high-pressure arenas.
If you’re planning to experience High on Life 2 on PC, playing on capable hardware makes a noticeable difference. Smooth performance, fast load times, and stable frame rates help keep combat fluid, especially when multiple abilities and physics-based effects are happening on screen at once. Acer’s Predator and Nitro gaming desktops and laptops are well-suited for fast-paced shooters like High on Life 2, offering powerful CPUs, modern GPUs, and high-refresh-rate displays that keep gameplay responsive. For players who prefer a more compact or versatile setup, Acer’s performance-focused laptops also provide a solid balance between power and portability.
With the full arsenal unlocked, the right upgrades equipped, and dependable hardware under the hood, High on Life 2 becomes far more flexible and rewarding. Experiment with weapon combinations, lean into each Gatlian’s strengths, and you’ll be equipped to handle everything the galaxy throws at you.
FAQ: alien weapons and upgrades in High on Life 2
How many alien weapons are in High on Life 2?
There are 10 alien weapons in total, including Knifey. Most are unlocked through story missions and bounties, while B.A.L.L. requires optional open-world exploration.
Can you miss any weapons during the story?
Most weapons unlock naturally through main missions or required bounties. The only easily missable weapon is B.A.L.L., which requires finding three blue men in the open world and is not tied to story progression.
Which weapon is best for bosses?
Bowie is one of the best options for boss fights due to his Soul Hole ability, which reveals weak points. Gus and Sheath also perform well against bosses when upgraded for high burst damage.
What are the most important weapon upgrades to buy first?
If you are short on Pesos, prioritize:
- Agony Dial for Travis and Jan for massive headshot damage
- Poise Frame for Sheath to boost overall stopping power
- Piercer Relaxant for Sweezy to improve crowd control and ability timing
Where do you buy weapon upgrades?
Most upgrades are purchased from Jorb’s shop in your quarters using Pesos. Some upgrades are unlocked by completing challenges or exploring areas like Circuit Arcadia.
Do upgrades carry over between weapons?
No. Upgrades are weapon-specific or, in the case of Travis and Jan, shared between the pair. Each upgrade directly enhances that weapon’s performance and abilities.
Do you need all weapons to finish the game?
You can complete the main story without unlocking every weapon, but having the full arsenal makes combat easier and simplifies many puzzle sections. Optional weapons and upgrades also provide more flexibility in how you approach encounters.
What’s the best overall weapon combination?
There is no single best setup, but popular combinations include:
- Travis and Jan for high DPS
- Bowie and Sheath for boss fights and precision damage
- Sweezy and Creature for crowd control and puzzles
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