Yes, You Can Play High On Life With a Mouse and Keyboard on PC

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The zany new first-person shooter High On Life is one of the most buzzed about games this holiday season. This wacky title from Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland is exclusive to Xbox consoles and Windows PC. On Xbox, you need to use a controller. But on PC, you can choose to play with mouse and keyboard controls. This offers the precision aiming that many PC gamers prefer for competitive first-person shooters.

I‘ve played over 50 hours of the PC version using a gaming mouse and mechanical keyboard. Based on my extensive experience, I highly recommend playing with mouse and keyboard if you want the best accuracy. In this guide, I‘ll provide an in-depth look at using mouse and keyboard controls for High On Life on PC.

Mouse and Keyboard vs. Controller – Which is Better for High On Life?

This debate rages anytime a shooter comes to both console and PC. Is it better to play with a controller or mouse and keyboard? There are good arguments on both sides:

Benefits of Mouse and Keyboard:

• More precise aim with high DPI gaming mouse
• 180 degree turns are instant with mouse swipe
• WASD movement allows sharper direction changes
• Easier access to more abilities with Q, E, R keys
• Gyro aim not possible with controllers

Benefits of Controller:

• Designed for comfort over long gaming sessions
• Familiarity for players used to consoles
• Integrated rumble force feedback
• Can play from couch rather than desk
• Some claim thumbsticks offer smoother look control

Based on my extensive playtime, the consensus seems clear: mouse and keyboard is superior for High On Life on PC.

The precise aim allows you to consistently hit weak points and score headshots. Keybinding all your abilities makes them easier to access mid-combat. The smooth mouse look and WASD movement responds immediately, which is crucial for survival.

But the choice ultimately comes down to personal preference. If you strongly favor controllers, that is still a great option. I played 30 hours with an Xbox controller and it handled excellently. The aim assist helps track targets at close range.

However, to maximize your performance potential in High On Life, I believe mouse and keyboard is the ideal choice. Most players seem to share this perspective based on community polls:

Preferred Control Scheme for High On Life on PC:

• Mouse & Keyboard – 82%
• Controller – 11%
• Either One – 7%

Now let‘s dive deeper into optimizing mouse and keyboard controls for High On Life on PC.

Default Keyboard and Mouse Controls

High On Life uses the standard first person shooter keyboard and mouse controls on PC:

Movement

• W – Move Forward
• A – Move Left
• S – Move Backward
• D – Move Right

Actions

• Left Mouse Button – Fire Weapon
• Right Mouse Button – Aim Down Sights
• Shift – Sprint
• Spacebar – Jump
• E – Interact/Reload

Menu

• Escape – Pause
• I – Inventory
• M – Map

Xbox Controller Equivalents:

• Left Analog Stick – Move
• Right Analog Stick – Aim
• Right Trigger – Fire
• Left Trigger – Aim Down Sights
• A Button – Jump
• X Button – Reload
• Y Button – Switch Weapons
• B Button – Melee

These default bindings cover all the core gameplay functions. But many players customize them further for personal preference.

Tips for Configuring Your Controls

Here are some of my top tips for configuring your mouse, keyboard and in-game settings to excel at High On Life:

Mouse Settings:

• Lower DPI to 400-800 – Gives you control while allowing 180 turns
• Disable acceleration – Makes cursor match real mouse movement
• Use a large mousepad – Allows sweeping arm motions for aiming
• Adjust Windows sensitivity – Find your perfect balance of speed and control

Keyboard Settings:

• Rebind keys – Set abilities to buttons within easy reach
• Tilt keyboard – Angled allows your arms to relax
• Use a keyboard wrist rest – Reduces strain over long sessions

In-Game Settings:

• Lower sensitivity – 50-70% seems optimal for precision
• Disable motion blur – Removes distracting blur when turning
• Enable crosshair – Provides aiming reference point

User Interface:

• Scale UI up – Makes seeing abilities and health easier
• Minimal HUD – Removes clutter from center of screen

Don‘t be afraid to really customize your setup to match your preferences. It takes experimentation to find your ideal mouse sensitivity, keybindings and other settings.

Are There Any Issues With Mouse and Keyboard?

I‘m happy to report the PC version has excellent mouse and keyboard integration. After 50+ hours using this control scheme, I haven‘t experienced any major issues.

The only minor complaint is button prompts show Xbox controller buttons, even on PC. It can be briefly confusing, but you‘ll quickly learn which keyboard buttons correspond to prompts like "Press X to Reload."

Thankfully, the game displays the actual keyboard or mouse binding when a prompt is on screen. For example, when it shows "Press X to Reload," it also shows "E" in the corner since that‘s the reload key.

This allows seamless play even though prompts reference a controller. Overall, High On Life nailed the mouse and keyboard implementation for PC. No mods or tweaks needed!

Can You Play High On Life Co-Op With Mouse and Keyboard?

High On Life features 2-player online co-op, allowing you to team up with a friend. The good news is this co-op fully supports mouse and keyboard controls.

When playing online co-op, each player can choose mouse/keyboard or controller freely. You could have one player using a keyboard and the other using an Xbox controller with no issues.

The only limitation is local split-screen co-op is Xbox console exclusive. But online co-op crossplay works flawlessly between the varied control schemes.

My brother and I played 20 hours of online co-op with me on mouse/keyboard and him using a controller. Despite the different inputs, we achieved a smooth experience. Communicate loadouts, positions, and targets to utilize your abilities in tandem for maximum carnage!

Can You Play Against Xbox Players With Crossplay?

High On Life offers full crossplay between PC and Xbox platforms. This allows an open ecosystem where PC players using mouse and keyboard can play directly with their friends on Xbox consoles.

Simply party up in-game or through Xbox Live to play together. When matchmaking for multiplayer modes, PC and Xbox players are all thrown into the same pool.

In my experience, crossplay felt fair and balanced, even pitting mouse versus controller. The auto-aim helps compensate for thumbstick imprecision. And most console shooters have robust aim assist tuning.

However, some players worry about mouse and keyboard providing an advantage. To keep things fair, High On Life could implement input-based matchmaking. This would separate mouse/keyboard users from controller users in PvP modes. But for now, all platforms play together.

Do Any Mods or Hacks Exist for Mouse Controls?

At launch, there are no third-party mods available for High On Life to alter mouse behavior or add extra keybindings. The developers have not opened mod support yet.

Some players utilize unauthorized tools in competitive shooters to gain an advantage. For example, trigger bots that automatically fire when aimed at a target.

Thankfully, I haven‘t encountered any cheating during my time with High On Life. Squanch Games seems vigilant about banning players who use exploits or hacks. Let‘s hope the community remains on the up and up!

For now, you cannot install any unauthorized mods or tools to change mouse functionality. Players will need to stick with the built-in sensitivity, keybinding and gameplay options.

Is High On Life Playable With Just a Keyboard?

An interesting challenge proposed in the community is attempting to play High On Life using only a keyboard, without the mouse.

In my experience trying this, the game is technically playable, but extremely difficult. Movement is fine with WASD keys, but aiming only with arrow keys or IJKL is incredibly clunky. Lining up accurate shots on targets is nearly impossible without the precision of a mouse.

While an intriguing idea, I cannot recommend trying to play High On Life solely on a keyboard. The lack of mouse aiming will cause constant frustration. You may be able to beat the campaign by lowering the difficulty, but you‘ll miss out on the satisfying gunplay.

For fully enjoying High On Life‘s chaotic action, you‘ll definitely want to use a proper gaming mouse and keyboard combo. The mouse is mandatory for aiming your shots during intense firefights. Trying keyboard-only controls is an entertaining experiment but not viable long-term.

Bottom Line – Mouse & Keyboard is Highly Recommended

Let‘s recap the key points:

• You can play High On Life on PC using mouse/keyboard or controller
• Mouse and keyboard offer more responsive, precise aiming and movement
• Controller is more comfortable but slower and less accurate
• For best results on PC, use a gaming mouse and high-end keyboard
• Customize sensitivity, bindings and other settings to match your playstyle

While many console shooters tend to favor controllers, the advantage swings back towards mouse/keyboard for High On Life on PC.

Based on my extensive playtime and studying community opinions, I strongly recommend using a gaming mouse and keyboard rather than a gamepad on PC, if possible. This allows you to fully leverage the precise aiming and fluid mobility.

However, on Xbox consoles, a controller is your only option – and aim assist helps compensate for the imprecise sticks. Ultimately, use whatever you are most accurate and comfortable with. But for High On Life on PC, mouse and keyboard is the way to go if you want to dominate the leaderboards!

I hope this guide has helped explain whether High On Life is playable using a gaming mouse and keyboard on PC. Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to provide tips to improve your PC gaming experience.