High on Life 2, released on February 13, 2026, is Squanch Games’ follow-up to the original first-person shooter with talking guns, Gatlians, and over-the-top humor. While the game is a blast, many PC players experience performance issues like stuttering, FPS drops, and softlocks, especially on mid-range systems.
This guide provides GPU-specific optimization tips, Unreal Engine 5 performance fixes, and troubleshooting strategies to ensure smooth gameplay. By following these steps, you can maximize FPS, reduce stutter, and enjoy High on Life 2 at its best.
Fast Facts About High on Life 2
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | February 13, 2026 |
| Platforms | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 5 |
| Known Issues | FPS drops, stuttering, softlocks, dialogue stutter |
| Target GPUs | NVIDIA, AMD |
| Quick Fix Overview | DLSS, FSR, graphics tweaks, disable overlays |
1. Stop the Stutter: Shader Precaching & Mouse Fixes
Shader Compilation Stutter
Many players experience stuttering during combat or area transitions, a common issue in Unreal Engine 5 titles due to shader compilation on demand. The first time shaders are loaded, the engine may hitch mid-game.
Verified Advice: Let the game complete shader compilation during the initial load to reduce mid-combat stutter.
Community Note: Players on Steam and Reddit report that stutter significantly improves after first-time shader precompilation. (reddit.com)
Mouse Acceleration / Input Fix
Many users report a "floaty" aiming experience. Disabling mouse smoothing and acceleration helps make the shooting feel snappy and responsive.
How to fix (Community Verified):
Navigate to
%LocalAppData%\HighOnLife2\Saved\Config\WindowsOpen
GameUserSettings.iniAdd the following under
[Input]:
Effect: Reduces input lag and makes aiming feel more precise for FPS gameplay. (steamcommunity.com)
2. General PC Settings to Fix FPS Drops
Graphics Settings Overview
Lower resolution and texture quality if FPS drops persist.
Adjust shadows and post-processing to improve performance.
V-Sync, Frame Rate Limit, and Motion Blur
Enable frame rate limit or adjust V-Sync for smoother gameplay.
Turn off motion blur for higher FPS and clearer visuals.
Disabling Overlays
Disable Discord, Steam, and GeForce Experience overlays during gameplay.
Overlays can significantly impact FPS in Unreal Engine 5 games.
3. NVIDIA GPU Optimization
DLSS Settings
Enable DLSS in Quality or Balanced mode for smoother FPS without sacrificing visuals.
For RTX 50 series cards, Frame Generation may cause hard reboots; disable G-Sync until the next patch.
RT & Ray Tracing Settings
Reduce or disable ray tracing for better performance.
NVIDIA Control Panel Tweaks
Power management mode: “Prefer maximum performance”
Pre-rendered frames: 1
V-Sync: Off for higher FPS (if not causing screen tearing)
Keywords: High on Life 2 NVIDIA settings, DLSS High on Life 2
4. AMD GPU Optimization
FSR Settings
Use FSR scaling in Performance or Balanced mode to improve FPS.
Graphics Tuning
Lower shadows, textures, and anti-aliasing to reduce stutter.
Radeon Software Tweaks
Enable Radeon Chill for adaptive framerate control.
Enhanced Sync can reduce tearing without significant performance loss.
Set frame rate target according to your monitor refresh rate.
Keywords: High on Life 2 AMD settings, FSR optimization High on Life 2
5. Unreal Engine 5 Performance Tips
Engine-Specific Optimizations
Reduce dynamic lighting and post-processing effects.
Lower particle effects during combat-heavy scenes.
Shader compilation stutter is normal on first launch; allow full initial compilation to reduce mid-game hitching.
Command Line / Config Tweaks
Optional advanced users can modify Unreal Engine 5 config files to disable unnecessary features.
Reduces load on GPU and improves FPS stability.
6. Troubleshooting Common PC Issues
Softlocks during missions, especially Murder Mystery slide sequence: Community reports that turning off DLSS/FSR and lowering graphics to Low temporarily prevents falling through the map.
Dialogue stutter: Turn off Gatlian chatter in settings temporarily.
Crashes: Ensure GPU drivers are up-to-date and close unnecessary applications.
FPS instability: Monitor CPU/GPU usage and tweak graphics settings accordingly.
FAQ Addition:
Q: My game keeps crashing after the Murder Mystery reveal. How do I fix it?
A: Disable DLSS/FSR and pause for 5 seconds at the start of the slide. This gives the engine time to load assets, preventing softlock or crash.7. Performance Impact Table (1440p)
| Setting Component | Change From | Change To | Estimated FPS Gain | Visual Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Illumination | Ultra/Epic | Medium+ | +12% to 15% | Moderate (Lumen GI is heavy) |
| Shadow Quality | High | Low | +10% to 12% | Low (UE5 Virtual Shadows are taxing) |
| Gatlian Chatter | Enabled | Disabled | +3% to 5% | None (Fixes audio-sync stutters) |
| DLSS / FSR 3.1 | Native | Quality | +30% to 45% | Minor (Slightly softer image) |
| Frame Generation | Off | On | +50% to 70% | Potential Input Latency |
| Post-Processing | High | Low | +5% to 8% | Medium (Removes heavy blurring) |
| Ray Tracing | On | Off | +20% to 25% | High (Massive performance hog) |
Sweet Spot Recommendation: Combine DLSS/FSR Quality, Medium Shadows, and Medium Global Illumination for the best performance-to-visuals ratio, netting up to +50% FPS over Epic presets.
VRAM Warning: Users with 8GB GPUs (like RTX 4060) should keep textures at Medium to prevent VRAM overflow and stuttering in open-world areas.
8. Conclusion
High on Life 2 PC performance varies based on hardware, GPU, and settings. By following this guide — including shader compilation awareness, mouse smoothing tweaks, GPU-specific optimizations, and upscaling adjustments — you can significantly reduce stutter, boost FPS, and enjoy smoother gameplay.
Experiment with settings for your specific rig and join community forums to share updates, fixes, and tips.
👉 Next recommended reads:
- High on Life 2 Beginner’s Guide
- Squanch Games Official Website – Updates, patch notes, and official announcements.
- High on Life 2 Steam Page – Official store page with forums and community discussions.
- Reddit r/highonlifegame – Active discussion, tips, bug reports, and hidden secrets shared by players.
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