If the original GORN was a chaotic bloodbath stitched together with meme glue, then GORN 2 is its fully grown-up (but not at all mature) sibling—complete with bigger arenas, more weapons, and even less shame. Developed by Free Lives, this VR-exclusive sequel cranks up the absurdity and drops you into a gladiator arena that looks like it was storyboarded by the team behind Minions—if they were raised on 4Chan, Doom mods, and adult swim.
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From the moment you step into the ring, GORN 2 hits you with an aesthetic that’s as hilariously grotesque as it is oddly charming. The visuals lean into cartoon gore with bright, exaggerated textures, over-inflated body parts, and jiggly physics that feel more like pool noodle combat than any kind of realistic gladiator sim. Combine that with a soundscape full of squelches, screams, and the kind of voice acting you’d expect from a very cursed Saturday morning cartoon, and you’ve got a game that embraces the ridiculous with every squishy step.
This is not a game that takes itself seriously. At all.
The AI is dumber than a sack of bricks—but that’s the point. You’re not here to test your strategic swordsmanship. You’re here to grab a meat grinder, shove someone’s head in it, then laugh like an idiot while another gladiator slips on a banana peel and falls into a spike trap. The real danger in GORN 2 comes from the environment itself—traps, spinning blades, swinging axes, and maybe even your own flailing arms if you’re not careful. It’s chaos, and it’s brilliant.
The combat system is as intuitive as it is deranged. There’s no need for a tutorial. You just pick up a weapon, swing, and watch limbs fly like confetti. You can slice enemies like ripe tomatoes, turn them into sausages, launch them into the heavens with springboards—it’s all over-the-top fun and never overstays its welcome. The one hiccup? Two-handed weapons can be a bit finicky. I had a few frustrating moments trying to grip them correctly—likely a bug that’ll get patched—but even then, the issue mostly comes down to needing enough physical space to properly swing those bad boys around. If you’re in a tight play area, stick to the one-handers unless you want to accidentally punch a wall.
Outside the main campaign, GORN 2 offers a custom arena and endless mode packed with unlockable weapons. Whether you want to dual-wield flails or go full anime with a massive hammer, the game gives you the tools—and the toys—to get creative with your carnage.
As for platforms, I played GORN 2 on both SteamVR and Meta Quest. While the SteamVR version offers slightly better visuals and frame pacing, this is the kind of game that thrives on pick-up-and-play portability. The Quest version is where it shines—not because it looks better (it doesn’t), but because it feels better when you’re free from cords and can swing wild with no strings attached.
Like being cast in a gladiator movie directed by a drunk Looney Tune—GORN 2 is hilariously violent, unapologetically dumb, and dangerously addictive.