Heart-Lung Machine

About

Heart-Lung Machine is a single player survival action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Hermann Hetzer and was released on November 11, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

“HEART-LUNG MACHINE is an intense horror game that focuses on delivering an exceptionally immersive VR experience.” You unsuspectingly venture into an abandoned underground complex and become trapped in darkness. With a dying flashlight, you navigate eerie corridors, searching for items to ensure your survival. As you're forced deeper, you uncover horrific secrets about the facility's past. Worse…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 21 reviews

graphics2 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game offers a deeply unsettling atmosphere with immersive VR mechanics that enhance the horror experience.
Players have reported genuine fear and tension while navigating the dark environments, showcasing the game's ability to instill real scares.
The developer is responsive to feedback and has shown potential for improvement and future content, making it a promising indie title.

The game lacks originality, with mechanics and themes that feel reminiscent of other titles like Outlast, leading to a sense of familiarity rather than innovation.
Technical issues, such as the flashlight dropping and not being retrievable, can severely hinder gameplay and immersion.
Some players found the game too simplistic and short, with a lack of depth in level design and gameplay mechanics.

gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay features a mix of realistic hiding mechanics and a nerve-wracking atmosphere, reminiscent of titles like Outlast, but suffers from simplistic AI and level design that lacks variety. While the mechanics are functional, they could benefit from clearer explanations and improvements, such as the addition of a pause button. Overall, the experience is engaging for newcomers to VR horror, though it may feel basic to more seasoned players.
- “The game features realistic hiding mechanics, requiring you to physically crouch behind objects, crawl into shafts, slide under tables, or squeeze into lockers to evade a relentless monster.”
- “Minimal content, nerve-wracking atmosphere, intense monster, disturbing lore, alright mechanics.”
- “I absolutely love the steampunk/dieselpunk industrial horror, mixed with biological horror and biomechanical body horror.”
- “The monster isn't scary; the environment is a bit scary if I could see anything without, oh you guessed it, a flashlight mechanic exactly like Outlast.”
- “The AI is simplistic, the level design could use some polish (more air vents and variation on routes!), and the gameplay mechanics could be better explained and utilized. Not to mention, the game lacks a pause button that I could find.”
- “The gameplay is pretty basic, but it works, especially if you're new to VR horror.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its deeply unsettling and nerve-wracking qualities, enhanced by immersive VR elements and effective sound design. Players appreciate the eerie aesthetics and minimalistic approach to audio, which contributes to a chilling experience, while the presence of an intense monster and disturbing lore further amplify the tension. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, creating a compelling horror experience.
- “Outside of that, the atmosphere, sound design, and aesthetics of the bunker were super cool and eerie!”
- “The atmosphere is really good; I like that there’s no music or eerie movie-style sound effects.”
- “This unpredictability combined with the game's immersive VR experience creates a deeply unsettling atmosphere.”
- “This monstrosity has some serious horror atmosphere which can only be described as nerve-wracking.”
- “Minimal content, nerve-wracking atmosphere, intense monster, disturbing lore, alright mechanics.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's story is described as basic and somewhat disturbing, serving primarily as a backdrop for the immersive VR experience focused on survival mechanics. Players are advised not to expect a deep narrative, as the gameplay emphasizes physical interaction and stealth rather than storytelling.
- “The game is really basic but works really well in VR, and the story behind it is, in my opinion, quite disturbing.”
- “Don't expect much story; this game's purpose is to let you use your body as your survival mechanism, hiding in corners, behind boxes, in lockers, etc. That's where it shines.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The graphics are considered adequate but not exceptional, effectively supporting the game's atmosphere. The eerie sound design and aesthetics of the bunker enhance the experience, with players expressing a desire for more integration of the mech and body horror art style throughout the environment.
- “Outside of that, the atmosphere, sound design, and aesthetics of the bunker were super cool and eerie!”
- “Would love to see more of the mech/body horror art style in the environment as a whole, like what we see at the end.”
- “I would love to see more of the mech and body horror art style integrated into the environment as a whole, similar to what we see at the end.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the emotional impact of feeling helpless in the game, particularly when they are unable to retrieve essential items like the flashlight, which symbolizes a loss of control and agency in challenging moments.
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The absence of music and the use of eerie sound effects contribute to a compelling atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience for players.
- “The atmosphere is really good; I like that there’s no music or eerie movie-style sound effects.”