Gorn 2
| Gorn 2 | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Developer | Free Lives, Cortopia Studios |
| Publisher | Devolver Digital |
| Platform | SteamVR, Meta Quest, PlayStation VR2 |
| Device | Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro, Meta Quest 2, PlayStation VR2, Valve Index, Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive Cosmos |
| Operating System | Windows, PlayStation 5 |
| Type | Game |
| Genre | Action, melee combat, physics-based fighting |
| Input Device | Tracked motion controllers |
| Game Mode | Single-player |
| Release Date | SteamVR and Meta Quest: April 17, 2025; PlayStation VR2: July 14, 2025 |
| Price | US$19.99 |
| App Store | Steam, Meta Quest Store, PlayStation Store |
| Website | https://store.steampowered.com/app/3391450/GORN_2/ |
GORN 2 is a virtual reality melee combat game developed by Free Lives and Cortopia Studios and published by Devolver Digital. It is the sequel to the 2019 gladiator brawler GORN. The game launched for SteamVR and Meta Quest on April 17, 2025, and for PlayStation VR2 on July 14, 2025.[1][2]
The game keeps the physics-driven, exaggerated melee combat of the original while adding a campaign of boss fights, a cel-shaded art style, and a larger weapon roster.[3] Players ascend to a set of heavenly realms inhabited by the gladiators they killed in the first game and fight through them again.[4][5]
Gameplay
GORN 2 is a first-person arena fighter built around a fully physics-driven combat engine. Weapons have weight and momentum rather than fixed attack animations, so swings, thrusts, and blocks depend on how the player actually moves the tracked controllers.[5] The game ships with 35 weapons, ranging from swords, maces, and spears to more unusual implements, and adds environmental traps and power-ups inside the arenas.[5][6]
Combat is deliberately comedic and gory. Enemies and the player character use loose, rubbery ragdoll bodies, and attacks can dismember opponents.[7] In his review for UploadVR, Henry Stockdale described the weapons as physically responsive and distinct to wield, but noted that the enemy AI lacks self-preservation and that the standard difficulty is easy; he died three times on a normal playthrough and pointed to the harder mode as the way to raise the challenge.[7]
The game has three main modes. The story campaign sends the player through five realms, each ending in a boss encounter against one of the five sons of the God of the Afterlife. Endless Mode pits the player against a continuous wave of enemies, and Custom Mode lets the player build battles by adjusting parameters such as crowd size, enemy count, abilities, and gravity.[4][7] Stockdale reported a campaign length of roughly four hours, with optional stage challenges that unlock additional weapons.[7]
Development
The original GORN began as a prototype at South African studio Free Lives and entered Steam Early Access in 2016 before a full release on July 18, 2019, published by Devolver Digital.[8] For the sequel, Free Lives worked together with Swedish VR studio Cortopia Studios, with Devolver Digital again publishing.[4][6]
GORN 2 was announced in February 2025 for PlayStation VR2, SteamVR, and Meta Quest, with a 2025 release window.[4] Compared with the original, the developers described the sequel as adding more weapons, enemies, arenas, traps, and power-ups.[6][4] Reviewers noted the sequel's cel-shaded visual style.[3]
Release
GORN 2 released first on PC VR and Meta Quest, with the PlayStation VR2 version following in mid-2025.[1][2] On PC and Quest it sells for US$19.99.[7]
| Platform | Release date |
|---|---|
| SteamVR (Windows) | April 17, 2025 |
| Meta Quest | April 17, 2025 |
| PlayStation VR2 | July 14, 2025 |
The Steam version lists support for Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro, Valve Index, HTC Vive Pro, HTC Vive Cosmos, Oculus Rift, Oculus Rift S, and PlayStation VR2.[5] On the Meta Quest store, the game targets Quest 2 and later headsets.[6] It is rated PEGI 18 for extreme violence and strong language.[5]
Reception
On Steam, GORN 2 holds a "Very Positive" user review summary, with about 85 percent of more than 600 user reviews being positive as of mid-2025.[5]
Critical reception was more mixed. The Meta Quest version holds a Metacritic score of 70 out of 100 based on six critic reviews; individual scores collected there include 80 from GamingTrend and The Games Machine, 70 from Impulse Gamer and UploadVR, 69 from COGconnected, and 50 from Game Rant.[9] UploadVR's Henry Stockdale rated it 3.5 out of 5 and called it "a safer sequel that won't deliver any revolutionary changes," while crediting it as "a strong VR arena fighter that should please fans of the original."[7] Reviewing the PlayStation VR2 version for Impulse Gamer, Gareth Newnham scored it 4 out of 10, praising the distinct, responsive weapons but criticising the overall package.[3]
For comparison, the original GORN received "generally favorable" reviews on PC, with a Metacritic score of 85.[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "GORN 2 launches April 17 for SteamVR and Quest, this summer for PS VR2". 2025-04. https://www.gematsu.com/2025/04/gorn-2-launches-april-17-for-steamvr-and-quest-this-summer-for-ps-vr2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Gorn 2 comes to PSVR2". 2025-07-14. https://www.gamerstemple.com/news/2025/07/14/gorn-2-comes-to-psvr2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Newnham, Gareth (2025-07-15). "Gorn 2 (PSVR2) Review". https://www.impulsegamer.com/gorn-2-psvr2-review/.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Romano, Sal (2025-02-27). "GORN 2 announced for PS VR2, SteamVR, and Quest". https://www.gematsu.com/2025/02/gorn-2-announced-for-ps-vr2-steamvr-and-quest.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "GORN 2 on Steam". Valve. https://store.steampowered.com/app/3391450/GORN_2/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Hayden, Scott (2025-03-03). "Classic Melee Combat Game 'GORN' is Getting a Sequel Later This Year on Quest, PC VR and PSVR 2". https://www.roadtovr.com/gorn-2-release-date-trailer-quest-3-steam-psvr-2/.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Stockdale, Henry (2025-04-17). "GORN 2 Review: Familiar Action With Welcome Evolutions". https://www.uploadvr.com/gorn-2-review/.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Gorn (video game)". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorn_(video_game).
- ↑ "GORN 2". https://www.metacritic.com/game/gorn-2/.