Gorn (video game)
A VR gladiator game with dismemberment and wave-based combat.
Gorn, written as GORN, is a virtual reality hack and slash game from 2019. It was made by Free Lives and put out by Devolver Digital. You play as a gladiator in an arena, using different weapons to fight enemies to the death. The game first came out in early access in 2016, then fully launched for Microsoft Windows on July 18, 2019.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Free Lives
- Publisher
- Devolver Digital
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Windows
- PlayStation 4
- Oculus Quest
- PlayStation 5
- Genre
- Beat 'em up
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Gorn is a wave-based game where the player must clear the arena of enemies to progress. At the start of each wave, a choice between weapons is offered, including spears, sledgehammers, and crab claws. The game features a dismemberment system that allows chopping off limbs to disable or kill opponents. Clearing a certain number of waves leads to a boss fight. If the player takes damage, the screen edge turns red; failing to kill an enemy before the screen goes completely red forces a restart from a checkpoint.
Development
Free Lives relied heavily on player feedback during early access, tuning the weight and feel of weapons. The visuals were designed for readability at the low resolutions of older VR headsets. The developer applied lessons from Broforce, such as not taking the game too seriously and prioritizing player freedom over restrictive design. A local multiplayer mode was added later in early access, letting a second player control a gladiator with a gamepad. Optimizations made for the PSVR version helped quickly produce the Oculus Quest port. The team solved framerate and resolution issues on the Quest by reworking shaders and optimizing art assets. No major content updates are currently planned.
Reception
Gorn received generally favorable to mixed or average reviews according to Metacritic, with the PSVR version receiving mixed to average reviews. UploadVR's Jamie Feltham gave a positive review, describing it as a game of violent experimentation with weapons that are fun to use, but noted a lack of content, saying the handful of levels could be seen through in a few hours. Jordan Devore of Destructoid felt that while Gorn was not revolutionary, its unique weapons helped differentiate it from other wave-based VR games.
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