GORN 2

Laugh Out Loud VR Wackiness

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Back in 2019, virtual reality was in a very different place. The original Oculus Quest had just launched, bringing untethered VR gaming to the masses, while Valve had entered the hardware space with the high-end Index. It was a breakthrough moment for VR—one that felt like the first true consumer boom for the platform. Alongside hardware innovations came a wave of standout games: Half-Life: Alyx, Blood & Truth, and nestled among them, GORN—a wild, over-the-top, physics-driven gladiator brawler from indie developer Free Lives. With its cartoonishly violent combat, flailing limbs, and a complete disregard for realism, GORN quickly became a fan favourite and even a system seller.

But that was six years ago. In the years since, the landscape of VR has changed significantly. Meta has released the Quest 2 and 3, pushing for better performance, wireless play, and comfort. Sony has doubled down with PSVR2, and the games themselves have become more ambitious and immersive. As someone who recently jumped back into the original GORN, it's hard not to notice the aging seams—it’s still fun, but its limitations are clear.

Thankfully, Free Lives has returned to the arena with GORN 2, and the result is nothing short of triumphant. Not only does it recapture the chaotic charm of the original, but it improves on nearly every aspect in such significant ways that it makes the first game feel like a prototype.

At its core,