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High on Lifeis already making waves for its outrageous riffs on role playing games. Whether it beunlocking achievements for shooting a child(don’t worry, he’s actually in his 30’s according to his mother) or getting encouraged by a divorce attorney as the player mindlessly blows away an ex-wife’s robotic boyfriends, there always seems to be some sort of satirical play at work. If there’s a joke to be had, more than likely,High on Lifeis going to encourage the player to go for it.
Like all the insane thingsHigh on Lifeseemingly encourages, there is a specific achievement for allowing your murder-crazed knife to stab intoyour mentor, Gene Zaroothian. But is it worth stabbing Gene and potentially losing the only person who is helping to progress the player on this bizarre journey?
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Does Gene Die If You Stab Him?
For those worried thatHigh on Life’s decision-making could drastically alter the course of the narrative, fear not. Despite allowing for a wide array of dialogue options, and subtle differences in the ordering of the player’s bounties,High on Lifeis a relatively linear narrative. So, stabbing Gene does not change much. However, if curiosity is peaked, here is what stabbing Gene will do for the story.
How to Stab Gene
The first step in stabbing Geneis obviously obtaining the knife. Knifey, as he is aptly named, speaks with an emphatic Australian accent, and it quickly becomes readily apparent that he is a very vocally homicidal object. Upon introduction in the Slums, Knifey will tell the player that he holds a grudge against Gene for leaving him with 9-Torg. Fortunately, this means that the player shares acommon enemy in 9-Torg, so Knifey is happy to oblige in assisting on the bounty.
But Knifey is insistent thatonce 9-Torg is killed, Gene should be next. Upon returning to home base, Gene is a bit surprised to see that the bounty was completed successfully. As he’s praising the player character, Knifey’s bloodlust begins to peak. It’s at this moment where stabbing Gene will become an option.
Walk to Gene and stab like any other foe. The knife will jab at Gene’s guts leaving a swelling mess of blood as Gene laments the injury. He does not die, however. In fact, he outright states he’s taken worse wounds in his career as a bounty hunter before quickly healing himself to normal. While he is a bit miffed at the player for listening to Knifey, he doesn’t hold a grudge, and there are no negative effects, in the narrative or gameplay, to stabbing him.
Knifey’s bloodlust is sated for the moment as he tells the player that they should maybe try again later, but no other opportunity comes. It may seem a bit of an anticlimax, but it turns out to be a harmless button on a well-built joke that also unlocks the achievement ‘Don’t Knife the Hand That Feeds You’ which will no doubt be worthwhile for all completionists.
