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GORN

Experience battles first hand as a cartoon Gladiator!
GORN Game Cover
90%Game Brain Score
gameplay, humor
stability, grinding
94% User Score Based on 7,056 reviews
Critic Score 76%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

PCPlayStation VROculus QuestOculus RiftCloudPlaystation 4Virtual RealityNVIDIA GeForce NOWWindowsPlayStationPlayStation VR2
GORN Game Cover

About

GORN is a single player hack and slash game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Free Lives and was released on July 18, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

GORN is a violent VR gladiator simulator with a physics-driven combat engine, allowing creative execution of opponents with various weapons. Fight an endless supply of poorly-animated foes, from swords and maces to nunchuks and warhammers, unleashing your most brutal and savage fantasies while maintaining a sense of decency. Immerse yourself in the most face-smashing VR experience available.

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94%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,056 reviews
gameplay125 positive mentions
stability32 negative mentions

  • Incredibly fun and cathartic experience, perfect for relieving stress.
  • Wide variety of weapons and creative ways to kill enemies, making for engaging gameplay.
  • Cartoonish graphics and humor add to the enjoyment, making it a unique VR experience.
  • Movement controls can be awkward and may cause motion sickness for some players.
  • The game is relatively short, with a campaign that can be completed in a few hours.
  • Final boss battle is frustrating and poorly designed, detracting from the overall experience.
  • gameplay
    321 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of this title is characterized by its repetitive nature, with many players noting that it can become monotonous after a few hours. While the mechanics are often described as fun and engaging, particularly in VR, the overall experience can be soured by frustrating boss fights and clunky controls. Despite these drawbacks, the game is praised for its unique combat mechanics and entertaining physics, making it a solid choice for those seeking a lighthearted, albeit simplistic, VR experience.

    • “Gorn is pure fun, a masterpiece in gameplay and atmosphere.”
    • “The gameplay is raw, visceral, gory, wacky, mindlessly strategic fun and can make you feel like an absolute badass.”
    • “The combat mechanics are very well done (for VR), and you can block attacks with every weapon instead of just using it to fight.”
    • “Really repetitive gameplay which is fine but it's not really fun; the final boss is awful and really soured the experience.”
    • “The gameplay here is like swatting flies that are flying toward your head.”
    • “The mechanics are just stupid.”
  • humor
    299 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Gorn" is a standout feature, characterized by its over-the-top cartoonish violence and absurd physics that lead to hilariously chaotic combat scenarios. Players frequently mention the game's ability to evoke laughter through its silly animations, goofy weapon handling, and darkly comedic elements, making it a fun and entertaining experience, especially in multiplayer settings. Overall, the blend of humor and gore creates a unique and enjoyable atmosphere that keeps players engaged and amused.

    • “The difference between a game like Gorn compared to other melee VR games is that Gorn has the humor factor down and they embrace it.”
    • “Absolutely love this game! It's super awesome and hilarious; the funny physics are just priceless, and the amount of fights I won by simply allowing them to take each other out is perfect.”
    • “This game is hilariously fun and entertaining! The over-the-top damage you do to your opponents is hilarious and gruesome at the same time.”
    • “The goofy animations are supposed to be funny and allow for the ridiculous ragdoll, but they didn't sit right with me.”
    • “The humor fell flat and failed to engage me, making the experience less enjoyable.”
    • “I found the attempts at humor to be forced and unoriginal, which detracted from the overall experience.”
  • graphics
    213 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of this game are characterized by a stylized, cartoonish art style that effectively balances humor and gore, making the violent gameplay feel less intense. While some players note that the visuals may not be cutting-edge, they appreciate the immersive and fun experience created by the vibrant colors and engaging physics. Overall, the graphics are well-received for their consistency and ability to enhance the game's absurdity, contributing to its charm in the VR space.

    • “This title has aged well in the VR-sphere of games due to its stylized graphics and well-working mechanics.”
    • “The game's cartoonish graphics and over-the-top violence add to the fun and absurdity of the game, making it a blast to play.”
    • “The graphics are polished, even if the style is cartoonish, and they help create an immersive experience.”
    • “The physics, controls, graphics, and overall design seem very cheap and simple.”
    • “Let's get this out of the way now, the graphics look cheesy if you just watched a video.”
    • “The goofy character graphics help mask the bloody mayhem you wreak upon the enemy, but I imagine it is the immersive 'holy crap!!' factor that keeps players engaged.”
  • story
    139 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally considered short and lacking depth, with many players noting that it can be completed in just a few hours. While some appreciate the comedic and immersive elements of the combat, others criticize the minimal narrative and repetitive gameplay. Overall, the focus is more on the action and arena experience rather than a rich storyline, leading to mixed feelings about its narrative value.

    • “A great game with a full story for people to all enjoy.”
    • “The story is short, I beat it in about 2 hours and 30 minutes, but it has decent replay value.”
    • “One of the best VR games on the market with a nice short story that has a lot of unique fights to unlock weapons.”
    • “The 'story' is pointless and extremely hard.”
    • “There's no story, no drive to keep killing the brainless AI.”
    • “There isn’t any story or plot in GORN.”
  • replayability
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its endless and custom modes that offer significant replay value, while others find the core campaign short and lacking in variety. Overall, it is often described as fun and engaging, with a strong emphasis on satisfying combat mechanics and a variety of weapons, making it appealing for repeated play. However, some users express disappointment in the absence of achievements or additional game modes that could enhance replayability further.

    • “The endless and custom modes give plenty of replayability, and the throwing system is incredibly satisfying.”
    • “Gorn is, without a doubt, the most uniquely satisfying and most replayable VR game I own or have experienced.”
    • “The amount of replayability is massive for a $20 game; this should be the standard for melee combat in all VR games.”
    • “My only issue is that I don't see much replay value.”
    • “It's really short though and not a whole lot of replayability.”
    • “Personally, I didn't find there to be any replay value and the optimization wasn't great either.”
  • music
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players emphasizing the importance of adding their own soundtracks, particularly the Doom soundtrack, to enhance the gameplay experience. While some enjoy the game with personal music playlists, others express disappointment over the lack of in-game music, feeling it detracts from the overall immersion and excitement during battles. Overall, players agree that a fitting soundtrack could significantly elevate the game's atmosphere.

    • “Play this game with doom soundtracks on, changes the entire experience.”
    • “Jumping into endless mode while listening to the doom OST is probably one of the best experiences I've had in my life, and I will do it countless times again.”
    • “Music can really enhance the experience.”
    • “I only have one thing I feel like they could've done something better with, and that is there is no music whatsoever, which is a real shame.”
    • “Very disappointing game, the locomotion system is just awful and there's no music at all, it's completely silent apart from weapon sounds etc.”
    • “The developers might have done it on purpose, but there’s no music whatsoever; there’s also little variety when it comes to enemy taunts.”
  • stability
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly with weapon handling and physics. While some users find the glitches amusing or endearing, many express frustration, especially during challenging encounters, leading to potential game-breaking experiences. Overall, the game is described as "extremely buggy," and while updates have improved stability, players are advised to approach it with caution, particularly at full price.

    • “Runs great on the Valve Index.”
    • “It's lots of fun and not too buggy after extensive updates.”
    • “Not bug-free, and an easy way to break a controller if you aren't careful, but definitely worth it.”
    • “Some weapons (mainly the big ones) can be unwieldy and buggy, which leads me to another point: despite the game's good points, it can be very buggy.”
    • “But when you get up to the harder bosses and eventually the finale, these glitches and bugs will cause you to wipe over and over until you eventually rage quit because it is so frustrating.”
    • “However, the bugs and glitches make it just about unplayable at times, so I don't recommend buying it at full price or until the bugs are fixed.”
  • optimization
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback from users. While many praise its smooth performance and solid graphics, some report issues with tracking, particularly during intense gameplay or when using two-handed weapons. Additionally, certain stages are criticized for being overly long and checkpoint placement can detract from the experience, indicating that further optimization could enhance gameplay enjoyment.

    • “It's greatly optimized and is full of highly replayable content.”
    • “Regardless of being in early access, the game runs smoothly and I've rarely had an issue.”
    • “Great fun and no issues with tracking or performance.”
    • “Great game, fun gameplay, but kinda bad optimization.”
    • “The patch notes say that the devs intentionally put effort into optimizing the game so it runs better, but on my system (i5-8400, GTX 1080) the performance has just tanked.”
    • “My only complaint so far is I get a lot of stuttering when multiple enemies are being slain, and especially at the end of the round when all the coins are thrown at you.”
  • emotional
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players finding it to be a powerful stress reliever that evokes feelings of empowerment and excitement, while others experience significant motion sickness that detracts from their enjoyment. The game elicits strong feelings of immersion, with players describing sensations of being a badass or a gladiator, but the unnatural movement mechanics can lead to discomfort and negative emotional experiences for some. Overall, the emotional impact varies widely, highlighting both the game's potential for exhilaration and the risk of physical discomfort.

    • “It's the best stress and anger reliever, especially for those who are emotionally unstable like myself.”
    • “No game has ever made me feel like such a badass before and I think having played this, any other gaming experience, especially non-VR involving similar themes, will feel bland.”
    • “Gorn made me feel like a real gladiator fighting for my life.”
  • grinding
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players consistently express that grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort to progress. While some find the gameplay quirky and enjoyable, many note that repetitive tasks and bugs can detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration. Despite improvements in graphics and gameplay modes, the grind remains a common point of contention among users.

    • “The game is way less buggy, the graphics and art style have been improved, custom mode is extremely fun and makes sure that you won't get bored while playing the game; there is little to no tediousness anymore!”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “It can get a bit grindy.”
    • “Old review - I like GORN, but it's the tediousness and the bugs that I dislike. For example, when I want to do a 1v1 in GORN, I have to enter demo mode or restart all of my progress. When I want to get to the next champion, I essentially fight the same people over and over. Yes, sometimes they have different weapons, but in most cases, they have the same ones. Also, when I try to pick something up when there is something right under, over, or beside it, it picks up the thing under, over, or beside it! Is it worth 20 dollars? No, it's a fun game, but twenty dollars for a buggy and tedious VR gladiator sim isn't.”
  • atmosphere
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in Gorn is characterized by its playful yet violent tone, enhanced by wacky physics and a unique art style that creates an engaging sandbox experience. Players appreciate the immersive environment that effectively conveys the chaos of the arena, making the gameplay feel both satisfying and exhilarating. Overall, the combination of creative combat mechanics, polished visuals, and a fun ambiance contributes to its status as a standout VR title.

    • “Gorn is pure fun, a masterpiece in gameplay and atmosphere.”
    • “The wacky physics, the over-the-top violence, and the art style (while a little rough) really convey the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “One of the few VR games that really conveys the whole atmosphere of the ongoing violence in the arena, one of the best games for HTC Vive.”
    • “The graphics are much more polished and help with the atmosphere.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has been enhanced with the introduction of microtransactions and downloadable content (DLC), which have been integrated into the new structure that includes sections for multiplayer and mods. Users have noted the changes in the monetization model, emphasizing the need for transparency regarding current practices.

    • “The microtransactions are fair and don't feel intrusive, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
    • “The DLC content is well-priced and adds significant value to the overall experience, enhancing gameplay without being a cash grab.”
    • “I appreciate how the monetization model respects players' time and investment, offering optional purchases that don't hinder progress.”
    • “The microtransactions in this game are excessive and feel like a cash grab.”
    • “The DLC content is overpriced and doesn't add enough value to justify the cost.”
    • “The monetization strategy ruins the overall experience, making it feel more like a pay-to-win scenario.”
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4h Median play time
12h Average play time
2-16h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 33 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

GORN is a hack and slash game with fantasy theme.

GORN is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Virtual Reality, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 12 hours playing GORN.

GORN was released on July 18, 2019.

GORN was developed by Free Lives.

GORN has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its stability.

GORN is a single player game.

Similar games include Blade & Sorcery, Hellsplit: Arena, Drunkn Bar Fight, Paint the Town Red, UNDERDOGS and others.