Iron Lung
- Platforms: PC
- Developer: David Szymanski
- Year: 2022
- Genres: Adventure, Indie, Simulation
- Tags: Single-player, Steam Achievements, Steam Trading Cards, Camera Comfort, Playable without Timed Input, Stereo Sound
- Operating systems: Windows
Price comparison
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Prices as listed by the stores, updated 2026-10-25. The store price is final.
A short horror game where you pilot a tiny submarine through an ocean of blood on an alien moon, with only scraps of information to guide you.
Overview
Iron Lung is a 2022 adventure, indie, and simulation game built around a tiny submarine stranded in an ocean of blood on an alien moon. You remain inside the vessel and use limited tools to figure out where you are.
The setup is claustrophobic on purpose. A grainy camera, an incomplete map, proximity sensors, and sound are all you have while you search for marked locations and take photographs. The game is meant to be finished in under an hour.
Its story unfolds in a bleak future where stars and habitable planets have disappeared. What is left of humanity sends a convict into the blood ocean, hoping to find something useful, or at least to find it first.
Why play it
- Limited information keeps the tension high.
- Navigation relies on a handful of tools.
- The setting is strange in a very specific way.
- It is short and focused.
Quick facts
| Developer | David Szymanski |
|---|---|
| Publisher | David Szymanski |
| Release year | 2022 |
| Genres | Adventure, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows |
| Steam release date | 9 Mar, 2022 |
| Languages | English |
| Minimum storage | 200 MB available space |
| Single-player | Yes |
Beginner walkthrough
Use the submarine’s tools
You never get a normal outside view. Navigation depends on the incomplete satellite map, proximity sensors, sound, and the camera mounted on the sub.
Move toward marked locations
Your job is to reach specific places in the ocean of blood and take photographs there. Those photos help you identify what is around you and finish the task.
Work inside a cramped submarine
The whole game takes place inside a one-man submarine. You cannot leave it, and the single porthole has to stay closed because of the pressure outside.
Key characters
- The player character convict pilot
An unnamed convict is sent to pilot the submarine through the blood ocean and photograph what lies below.
Our take
Pros
- Strong sense of dread and paranoia.
- Unusual submarine setup.
- Clear, compact structure.
- Very short runtime.
Cons
- Windows only on Steam.
- The experience is intended to be finished in under an hour.
- Single-player only.
Iron Lung keeps its scope tight: one submarine, one hostile ocean, and a narrow set of tools to survive with. That restraint is the point. If you want a short horror game built around uncertainty, limited vision, and careful navigation, it has a clear identity. If you want freedom or variety, this is not that sort of game.
Quick check
This check compares memory and disk space only. Compare your CPU and graphics card with the requirements above manually.Minimum requirements
Minimum: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS *: Windows 7/8/9/10 Processor: Any made within the last decade Memory: 1 MB RAM Graphics: Any made within the last decade Storage: 200 MB available space Sound Card: Any Additional Notes: You can run this
Recommended requirements
Recommended: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
FAQ
What kind of game is Iron Lung?
It is a short horror game that combines adventure, indie, and simulation elements. You pilot a tiny submarine through an ocean of blood on an alien moon and use limited equipment to navigate and take photographs.
What platform is it on?
The game is listed for Windows. The Steam release date is 9 Mar, 2022.
How long does it take to finish?
The store description says it is a short experience intended to be finished in under an hour.
How do you move around in the game?
You stay inside a one-man submarine and navigate with an incomplete satellite map, proximity sensors, sound, and a primitive external camera. The porthole must stay closed because of depth pressure.
What is the objective?
You are sent to find your way to marked locations in the blood ocean and photograph them. The story frames this as an investigation into a mysterious anomaly on a barren moon.
Updated: 2026-09-21 · More in the catalog · PC · I