Free Lives’ physics-driven combat game finally arrives on standalone headsets.
One of VR’s first breakout hits arrived on Oculus Quest/Quest 2 headsets today, offering standalone players one of if not the most satisfying melee combat experiences available at the moment.
Originally released on PC VR headsets back in 2017, Free Lives’ over-the-top gladiator simulator pits you against wave after wave of wobbly muscle men in a blood-soaked free-for-all using a variety of brutal melee weapons, from axes and nunchucks to throwing knives and war hammers. You can even engage in good-old-fashioned hand-to-hand combat and actually rip your enemies limb for limb before using their own body parts against them. The experience is more comical than it sounds, due in large part to the cartoon art style, humorous animations, and ridiculous encounters.
This standalone port features all the content you know and love from the original critically-acclaimed release, minus the cable. While wireless gameplay may seem like a small improvement, those who’ve had the pleasure of playing GORN via a tethered PC VR headset will tell you just how annoying a cable can be in the heat of combat.
GORN requires an immense amount of movement as you’re constantly being surrounded by enemies. Wireless functionality adds a whole new layer of freedom to the experience, allowing you to comfortably swing your rubber-like weapons in any direction as you mow down waves of bouncing bad guys.
Though I’ve only spent a short amount of time with the standalone port, I can already say with confidence that GORN on the Oculus Quest 2 is arguably the definitive version of the game. There are some noticeable downgrades in terms of visuals, though not enough to seriously impact the quality of the game.
GORN is available now on the Oculus Quest/Quest 2 for $19.99 as well as Oculus Rift/Rift S, SteamVR, and PlayStation VR.
Feature Image Credit: Free Lives
