Iron Lung (video game)

An in-game screenshot of the player using the Iron Lung's navigational instruments.

The player controls a silent protagonist that controls a midget submarine. Gameplay is set entirely within the one-room submarine, with minimal room to move around. The submarine is controlled using its navigational equipment at the front. The submarine's heading and position are displayed with a minimalist interface. The submarine lacks any viewing ports, and the player cannot exit it, forcing them to use their map and the submarine's camera to navigate the game map. At certain points, the player must use the submarine camera to take photographs, which reveal surroundings and details about the area the player is in. Certain events can also occur at various points, such as changes in oxygen and pressure, which affect gameplay and add to the tension.[4]

On June 19, 2022, Iron Lung had an update that added more lore, achievements, new game map destinations, and Steam Points Shop items.[5]

In a future where humanity has colonized space, an event known as the "Quiet Rapture" causes all stars and habitable planets in the universe to inexplicably disappear. Now, only those aboard space stations or starships remain as the last remnants of known life. To secure the survival of humanity, the Consolidation of Iron (COI) launches an expedition to AT-5, a desolate moon that has recently formed an expansive ocean of blood, believed to hold vital resources desperately needed to sustain human life. The convict is sent to navigate the trenches of the blood ocean in a small submarine known as SM-13 or the "Iron Lung," to verify the existence of the resources. Due to the pressure and depth of the ocean, the main hatch is welded shut, the forward viewport has been encased in metal, and communications are lost shortly after submerging. The convict is promised freedom upon their return to the surface, but a note left by a previous occupant of the submarine warns the convict that their fate is not their own, and that they are but pawns in a much larger game of power and control.

The convict takes control of the Iron Lung, a small but sturdy submarine, as they navigate through the treacherous, narrow caves and trenches. Using the submarine's camera, they capture grainy photographs of points of interest scattered around the map. However, the photographs reveal increasingly bizarre and unsettling things such as unusual plant growth, rock formations that defy explanation, large unidentified skeletons, and strange, artificial structures resembling storefronts. The convict must also contend with unforeseen challenges such as the depletion of oxygen supply, bursts of steam from the pipes, and a fire that breaks out in the rear of the submarine. As the Iron Lung draws closer to one point of interest, a strange orb of light, the vessel begins to shake violently. At another point, the convict captures the eye of a colossal, unidentified sea creature, which then attacks the Iron Lung, causing a significant leak. After reaching the final point, as the convict attempts to reach the camera controls, the monstrous sea creature breaches the submarine, sending the game back to the title screen.

A post-game text entry reveals that there is no current method of retrieving the remains or photographs from the destroyed Iron Lung, making the mission and the convict's death for naught. Despite this, the text remains optimistic, stating that humanity will find a solution to the Quiet Rapture somewhere in the universe.

Iron Lung received positive reviews, with praise given to the game's oppressive atmosphere and soundscape.[4][6]

On April 21, 2023, American YouTuber Mark Fischbach, known online as Markiplier, announced he would be adapting Iron Lung into a horror film.[3][7][8][9] Fischbach, who had previously played Iron Lung on his channel,[8] announced the film would be self-financed, star himself alongside co-star Caroline Rose Kaplan, and use his own script.[3][9] David Szymanski has also confirmed that he has been involved with the film since pre-production, assisting with its screenplay and being on set during filming, and that he is set to have a small cameo in the film.[10] The Iron Lung film is set to be the first theatrical film directed and produced by Fischbach, who will co-produce it alongside Will Hyde and Jeff Guerrero.[9] No plot details or release date have been revealed.[8] A teaser trailer was released alongside the announcement.[11]