Iron Lung

 PC
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 17
  3. Negative: 5 out of 17

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  1. B-Bog
    Jan 15, 2023
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really don't get all the buzz around this game, it's even been getting on some GOTY lists. The gameplay is super-limited, the graphics are s**t and it's not even that scary. Yeah, it's a little claustrophobic and ominous, but nothing really happens until the very end, which is when you get a cheap, short jumpscare and then it's suddenly all over without any further explanation. The concept itself is promising, but literally every aspect of the game would've needed to be expanded upon to make this an actually worthwhile experience. As it stands, the game doesn't even go on long enough to build proper tension, the lore is intriguing but not fleshed out in the slightest (and you very likely won't even know how to access it without looking it up), you get to know nothing about the character you're playing... It's just a very superficial and ultimately hollow experience. Basically, you spend an hour f***ing around with some virtual buttons just to arrive at that one jumpscare and that's it.… Expand
  2. OberiousLocke
    Mar 16, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Game is literally $6 USD on Steam, and for the length and quality of it I can't argue that it wasn't superb. I am somewhat numb to horror games so only the ending really "got" me. Really a perfect, bite-sized experience and I'd be lying if I said if the tension didn't ratchet right the hell up towards the end.

    Play it. Literally 6 bucks.    … Expand
  3. TheKillerFries
    Apr 14, 2022
    9
    A short horror game, but a brilliant one. It's about an hour long depending on how adept you are at navigating based solely on coordinates on a map, but Iron Lung has a perfect understanding on how to make use of every human's fear of the unknown. You're often left with only your hearing and your intuition, thus every small sound or wrong turn feels like a potential step towards somethingA short horror game, but a brilliant one. It's about an hour long depending on how adept you are at navigating based solely on coordinates on a map, but Iron Lung has a perfect understanding on how to make use of every human's fear of the unknown. You're often left with only your hearing and your intuition, thus every small sound or wrong turn feels like a potential step towards something terrifying. While a bit cumbersome at times, it's all in service of making the player feel completely defenseless and blind while also assuring them that they are only going deeper and deeper into a truly horrific place. With a price tag of only $6, it's a worthwhile horror experience that won't soon be forgotten.… Expand
  4. kazakima
    Jul 17, 2022
    10
    This game is all about building tension and feeling of dread using the sounds and sometimes visuals until the game ends. The ending is more underwhelming than I would’ve hoped, but it’s still a really awesome one hour plus experience. If you’re into these sorts of games and don’t expect more of it.
  5. AnokXimao
    Apr 26, 2022
    9
    You can scare people with jumpscares, darkness, paranormal entities... But you need more to terrify people, put them middle of a story and make them feel desperate among the fact of there is no other choice.
    Iron lung is a apocalyptic scenerio sim, not a work of imagination.

    Sry for my bad england
  6. GDChrome
    Jan 1, 2023
    8
    this might be one of the most unsettling horror games I've ever played. this game just oozes atmosphere and has some of the best sound design that I've ever heard. really my only problem is that this game is just too short, right as it reaches it's peak, it just kinda ends. other than that, absolutely fantastic horror game
  7. AtFanta
    Apr 22, 2023
    1
    This game is complete garbage, no idea why every person keeps calling this a masterpiece. There is nothing good about this game. Interesting mechanics but all you do is click some buttons for your movements underwater and take crappy pictures to later die by a stupid jpeg image. Everyone must be smoking something and for some reason this game is getting a movie? What an absolute joke.This game is complete garbage, no idea why every person keeps calling this a masterpiece. There is nothing good about this game. Interesting mechanics but all you do is click some buttons for your movements underwater and take crappy pictures to later die by a stupid jpeg image. Everyone must be smoking something and for some reason this game is getting a movie? What an absolute joke. Don’t even waste your time playing it or watching videos about it, it’s garbage and the ending is just you self reflecting that you spent 1 hour of your time on garbage… Expand
  8. Young_Fawn
    Jun 21, 2023
    8
    A Horrifying Must Play

    Iron Lung is a game where you're a single man in an old rusty submarine equipped with nothing but a computer, co-ordinate buttons to move around, a map, fire extinguisher and a photograph camera. The game begins with your descent into this unknown blood planet and you're basically told to go to co-ordinate to co-ordinate to take a picture of what you see there    A Horrifying Must Play

    Iron Lung is a game where you're a single man in an old rusty submarine equipped with nothing but a computer, co-ordinate buttons to move around, a map, fire extinguisher and a photograph camera.

    The game begins with your descent into this unknown blood planet and you're basically told to go to co-ordinate to co-ordinate to take a picture of what you see there for your logs.

    You cannot see outside the submarine other than the camera, which only takes a single picture.

    The graphics are done in that retro playstation one style that really invokes horror.

    The sound design is phenomenal, you'll want to take your headset off when playing it, that's how creepy it is.

    Without going too much more into what happens, I'll end this review here. The game shouldn't take more than 60-90 minutes to complete, after you get the hang of moving the submarine, going from place to place isn't too challenging.

    What you experience in the Iron Lung is something that'll keep you on the edge of your seat the entire way from start to finish.

    8/10 - I just wish it was longer.    … Expand
  9. Eyean
    Aug 5, 2023
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The visual design of the world and claustrophobic feeling of being in the submarine are great. The dread of exploring the Blood Moon builds up throughout the game, only to be ruined by some stupid fish jump scaring you at the end.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
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  1. Destructoid
    Mar 22, 2022
    90
    The design of Iron Lung captivated me. It’s a brilliant approach to the horror genre. It keeps you feeling perpetually vulnerable. There is nothing to help you and absolutely no escape. Your only option is to keep pressing ahead, as there’s no rescue until the job is done. Don’t get distracted, ignore the sounds. Hurry, but be careful not to bash into a wall. I don’t think it’s possible to represent that idea better in an interactive medium. Iron Lung really is the perfect short-form horror experience.
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