Iron Lung

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 12,186 reviews
  • atmosphere
  • gameplay
  • story
Iron Lung Game Cover
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"Iron Lung" is a short horror game set in a claustrophobic one-man submarine, where you must navigate an ocean of blood and take photographs of key locations while avoiding unknown dangers. With minimal sensory input, players must rely on an incomplete map, proximity sensors, sound, and a primitive external camera to survive. The game aims to build dread and paranoia, featuring experimental gameplay and an original soundtrack inspired by Aubrey Hodges' work on Doom 64.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Oculus Quest
  • Oculus Rift
  • Tablet
  • Windows Mixed Reality
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 12,186 reviews
atmosphere1,318 positive mentions
replayability60 negative mentions
  • atmosphere2,002 mentions

    The atmosphere of *Iron Lung* is widely praised for its oppressive, claustrophobic, and eerie qualities, effectively immersing players in a tense underwater horror experience. Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional sound design and minimalistic visuals, which contribute to a sense of dread and isolation as players navigate a tiny submarine through a blood ocean. While the gameplay may be simplistic and some find it tedious, the overwhelming atmosphere and unique premise make it a memorable experience for fans of atmospheric horror.

    • “Iron Lung offers an oppressive, threatening, and dense atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is fantastic; it's so oppressive, bleak, and scary with the gameplay being deceptively hard.”
    • “The atmosphere here is incredible, and the creator knocked it out of the park.”
    • “The eerie atmosphere created by the situation quickly dissipates once you realize there’s actually no threat.”
    • “For almost the entire game, I didn't feel the scary atmosphere at all.”
    • “Probably the most overrated game I've ever tried playing, it was interesting at first being in such a closed space trying to figure out the navigation controls but any atmosphere that this game might've tried to establish gets yeeted out the window with how poor the gameplay is.”
  • gameplay1,440 mentions

    The gameplay of "Iron Lung" is characterized by its simplicity and minimalism, focusing on navigating a submarine using a map and coordinates while taking pictures of the environment. While some players appreciate the tension and atmosphere created by these mechanics, many find the gameplay tedious and repetitive, often leading to a lack of engagement. Overall, the game effectively builds dread through its sound design and limited visuals, but the straightforward mechanics may not appeal to everyone, resulting in mixed reviews regarding its entertainment value.

    • “The tension it builds is palpable despite its extremely simple gameplay and design.”
    • “The gameplay is simple but actually effective and it made me enjoy the game from it.”
    • “The gameplay, atmosphere, and experience of it all make the game what it is.”
    • “I think the atmosphere is interesting, but the gameplay is tedious and everything about it is generally undercooked.”
    • “The gameplay is just tedious and monotonous with no interesting or meaningful changes from beginning to end.”
    • “It's hard to recommend a game that has as boring gameplay as this one.”
  • story720 mentions

    The story of "Iron Lung" is characterized by its minimalist yet intriguing narrative, set in a haunting cosmic horror environment where players navigate a submarine in a blood ocean on a seemingly futile mission. While the plot is sparse and often vague, it effectively builds tension and atmosphere, encouraging players to piece together the lore through exploration and environmental storytelling. Many reviewers express a desire for a more fleshed-out narrative, highlighting the potential for deeper storytelling in future expansions or sequels.

    • “If nothing else, Iron Lung is an excellent vehicle for a highly unnerving cosmic horror story.”
    • “The story is very straightforward but does enough to get the game going; however, there is a terminal for those who are more interested in the lore of the game, which I think is a nice addition.”
    • “The story built it, triggers the mood required to entrap the player.”
    • “The player understands the same amount going into the story as they do when coming out of it; the only difference is that they’re a lot more afraid on the way out.”
    • “However, the lack of straight story is a big disadvantage of it.”
    • “The ending leaves the player with no resolution or impact on the overarching story and comes off as a trashy and disappointing cop out.”
  • graphics480 mentions

    The graphics of "Iron Lung" are characterized by a low-poly, retro aesthetic reminiscent of PS1 and N64 titles, which effectively enhances the game's eerie atmosphere and sense of dread. While some players appreciate the minimalist visuals for their ability to evoke nostalgia and leave much to the imagination, others note that the simplicity can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a fitting choice that complements the game's horror elements, despite their limitations.

    • “The graphics make the atmosphere of the game phenomenal.”
    • “The low-poly graphics are used beautifully, truly a game which demonstrates that a horrifying experience must be slowly crafted with the tools you have, not thrown into your face.”
    • “The classic PS1-esque aesthetic of the graphics adds to the experience, but the game doesn't rely on the nostalgic art style alone to be an enjoyable experience.”
    • “The graphics are very limited and it leaves a lot of what's going on to your imagination.”
    • “This is a game that should not work on paper, a game that should succumb to its admittedly bare-bones mechanics and makeshift graphics.”
    • “The graphics are simple yet effective.”
  • music250 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a chilling and immersive atmosphere, effectively enhancing the sense of dread and tension throughout the experience. Many reviewers noted its dark ambient qualities, with comparisons to the soundtracks of classic horror games like Doom 64, while also highlighting the minimalistic approach that allows ambient sounds to amplify the player's anxiety. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's unsettling ambiance and emotional impact.

    • “Constant tension and great soundtrack that compliments the atmosphere to a disturbing degree.”
    • “The dark ambient soundtrack is as gorgeous as it is anxiety-inducing - and works just as well outside the context of the game.”
    • “The soundtrack, sound design, and progression of the game were all woven together into something seamlessly and beautifully terrifying.”
    • “The music is also creepy and uneasy, but unfortunately there is not much of it.”
    • “The music and soundtrack: there is none, fuck you give David your hard earned dollars for that soundtrack paypig.”
    • “As you make your way around, spooky music sometimes plays for a bit, and you hear weird sounds from the outside (the repertoire for these sounds is very small so it gets repetitive very fast).”
  • replayability178 mentions

    The game has been widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with most reviews noting that it offers little incentive to play beyond the initial experience, which typically lasts around 1-2 hours. While some players appreciate the unique atmosphere and narrative, they agree that the game is essentially a one-time experience, with minimal side content or achievements to pursue afterward. Overall, the consensus is that while the game is enjoyable, its short length and scripted nature significantly limit its replay value.

    • “It has enough replayability to go through it once or twice afterwards for secrets and achievements.”
    • “So yea, the replay value isn't too high (unless you go looking for those apparent unmarked photo locations), but that doesn't bother me in the slightest because of how unique this game is and how much I thoroughly enjoyed playing it through.”
    • “Even though it's short, and there might not be much replay value, it's still worth checking out.”
    • “From what I can tell, there's almost zero replayability (besides wanting to get that last achievement).”
    • “Ultimately, Iron Lung is a very short game with very little replay value.”
    • “The only issue I have with the game is there is little to no replay value.”
  • grinding160 mentions

    The aspect of "grinding" in the game is described as both captivating and tedious, with many players finding the gameplay repetitive and frustrating. While some appreciate the atmosphere and narrative depth, others criticize the navigation and controls as overly cumbersome, leading to a lack of meaningful engagement and payoff. Overall, the experience is seen as a slow burn that may appeal to certain players but can feel monotonous and unfulfilling for others.

    • “Took about an hour from start to finish, but wasn't as tedious as I expected.”
    • “The gameplay is just tedious and monotonous with no interesting or meaningful changes from beginning to end.”
    • “It's just 50 minutes of the most tedious and boring gameplay ever with some minor spooky things happening like a loud sound or some eerie picture appearing.”
    • “This game will make you feel strong emotions, in the context of potentially the most tedious gameplay ever conceived.”
  • humor82 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding joy in its quirky elements, particularly the "funny fish" and unexpected jumpscares that elicit laughter rather than fear. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to blend comedy with gameplay, making it a lighthearted experience, though some note that the humor can sometimes overshadow intended suspense. Overall, the game is seen as a fun, entertaining way to pass the time, filled with amusing moments and memes.

    • “The only good part of the game was the fish jumpscare which was so hilariously bad it sent me into hysterics for a good 3 minutes.”
    • “It was really funny when I was looking at the coordinates and suddenly it was turning red around me, and I was like 'hmm why is it getting all red?' for like a minute and I turned around and it was on fire, lmao.”
    • “The end was a bit more funny than scary for me, but I liked it nonetheless.”
    • “Poopy came out my bummy, David. That's not funny, not funny at all!”
    • “Not funny :(”
    • “Not funny :(”
  • emotional76 mentions

    The emotional impact of the game is profound, eliciting feelings of fear, claustrophobia, and vulnerability, with players describing experiences ranging from intense dread to moments of joy and pride. While the atmosphere and sound design effectively build suspense, some players felt let down by the abrupt ending, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. Despite these critiques, many found the game to be a unique emotional journey that resonated deeply, making them feel both hunted and exhilarated.

    • “No other game I know of is like this, nor has any other game made me feel such emotions.”
    • “I screamed, I cried, my friends made fun of me for screaming and crying.”
    • “This game truly made me feel like I was breathing through an iron lung.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its solid performance and compatibility, with users reporting no bugs or glitches across different platforms, including an M1 Mac Mini. Players express satisfaction with the game's stability and efficiency, indicating a well-optimized experience.

    • “Performance in this game was solid throughout (as David's games usually are) and I didn't run into any bugs or glitches.”
    • “I played this game on an M1 Mac Mini using Whisky/GPTK and was very happy with the compatibility and performance.”
    • “The performance was good and I didn't face any issues.”
    • “The optimization in this game is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
    • “I encountered several performance issues that made the game unplayable at times, despite my system meeting the recommended requirements.”
    • “The game feels poorly optimized, with long loading times and inconsistent performance across different hardware.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users labeling it a "cash grab" and suggesting a lower price point of $2-3, while others acknowledge the quality of the game but question its overall value. Despite the criticism, the advertising for the game has been noted as impressive.

    • “This should be $2-3 max. I wouldn't say it's a cash grab because it's really well done, I just don't think there's a lot of value here for most people.”
    • “Cash grab.”
    • “Cash grab.”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with solid performance and minimal bugs reported by many players. However, some users noted the presence of occasional glitches that detracted from the experience, suggesting a mix of reliability and minor technical issues.

    • “The glitches and bugs, much like the damaged public places I once reveled in, served as a stark reminder of the fragility of our digital illusions.”
    • “The game offers some nice graphics and a nice aesthetic, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

1hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
1-2hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 46 analyzed playthroughs

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