Iron Lung

Iron Lung is a short, atmospheric horror simulation game that places players in a claustrophobic metal submarine submerged within an ocean of blood. Developed by David Szymanski and released in March 2022, this title creates fear not through combat, but through limited visibility and heavy anticipation.

The premise is bleak and compelling without needing complex cinematic cutscenes. Following an event called the “Quiet Rapture,” all habitable planets and stars have vanished, leaving the last of humanity stranded on decaying space stations. As a condemned prisoner, you are offered freedom in exchange for investigating a mysterious moon known as AT-5. The ocean here isn’t water; it is human blood, and scans suggest strange anomalies are hiding in the deep trenches.

What makes the gameplay unique is that the submarine has no windows. Players must navigate completely blindly to survive. Instead of looking out into the ocean, you are forced to rely on rudimentary instruments, a static map, and coordinates to figure out where you are. The only way to see what is outside is to use the external camera, which takes grainy, black-and-white photos with a delay. This creates intense dread, as you never know if a photo will reveal an empty cavern or a massive creature moving toward you.

Management of the vessel is critical. You must constantly compare your coordinates with the trench map to avoid crashing into walls, all while monitoring oxygen levels and hull integrity. The sound design plays a huge role here; creaking metal and proximity alarms act as your warnings when unseen threats approach. Online port by 98corbins.