Dead as Disco
Dead as Disco
Game
Game2022
Iron Lung
Developer David Szymanski
Iron Lung is a 2022 submarine simulation horror game developed and published by David Szymanski. The player controls an unnamed convict who explores an ocean of blood on a desolate moon in a small, rusty submarine nicknamed the "Iron Lung". It was released for Windows on March 10, 2022, with a Nintendo Switch port released on December 19, 2022. It was later released for the PlayStation 5 on October 15, 2025, and… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
457 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
89
LovedLoved
289 positive · 37 negative
95% range 85–92%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 289 | 37 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 25 | 3 | 88 |
| Mastodon * | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
8,637 of 9,409 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
90% recommend · 248 yes, 27 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 275 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (10,404 of 11,338 positive).
Players praise the game's atmosphere, tension, and claustrophobic horror. [1][2][3] Many note the game is very short, with simple mechanics and limited replayability. [4][5][6] Some players find the game overhyped, tedious, or with a disappointing ending. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
I found the game overhyped. While I understand the intent is claustrophobic immersion, for me, it just felt like an hour of matching coordinates accompanied by loud audio cues. I personally don't think the concept has enough depth to justify the hype or a film adaptation. It would've been fine for a free game.
- [1]
This is not an expedition. It is an execution. If there is still hope, it lies beyond the veil Iron Lung is great. It's a fantastic slow burn horror experience that has atmosphere, tension and uncertain fate all tied up neatly with interesting lore. David Szymanski knows horror and tension. The Iron Lung Movie takes this and expands upon it greatly with lore, worldbuilding, characters and even more dread awaiting …
- [5]
I see why Markiplier made a whole damn movie about this. Is it short? yes. Does it have few mechanics? Yes. Is it creepy, original and cool? YES. I'm a little bit late to the party but at the time this was released, the internet was full of unoriginal ass games and this really stood out, I remember that really well. The thought behind this game is really deep and definetly deserves a continuation. The frog beast or …
- [2]
Iron Lung is a compact but extraordinarily potent piece of atmospheric horror, a game that strips the genre down to its barest elements and uses confinement, sensory deprivation, and slow-building dread to create an experience far larger than its modest scope suggests. Developed and published by David Szymanski, the creator behind titles like DUSK, the game abandons traditional horror spectacle for an unnerving …
- [3]
A unique horror that makes you feel claustrophobic, trapped and anxious all while piloting a submarine blindly using coordinates. I mainly picked this game up since I am seeing Mark's new movie soon and I wanted to experience the game hands on before the film. I was surprised how on edge the game makes you feel as you pilot the sub. From shaking the whole thing to destruction of the interior such as fires, flooding, …
Summarised from 34 of the 383 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Iron Lung talk about atmosphere and tension are highly effective; those who didn't talk about gameplay is repetitive and tedious. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Iron Lung received generally positive reviews, with reviewer Aaron Boehm of Bloody Disgusting praising its "oppressive" atmosphere and "exceptional sound design". Renata Price of Vice News wrote that its atmosphere evoked the "systemic death spiral at the heart of capitalism". Zoey Handley of Destructoid praised its horror concept, arguing it could only be fully realized in an "interactive medium" like video gaming. In December 2023, Szymanski faced criticism online for increasing the price of Iron Lung by two dollars, and sales dropped after the price adjustment. In June 2023, following the implosion of the Titan submersible, Iron Lung experienced a surge in popularity and sales, with some…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 457 · most liked firstVery good but very short game, I'm mostly worried how the movie will manage to drag this into 2hrs long. Edit: Guys I just watched the movie, it adapts the game pretty well actually and it didn't feel overly long!!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →They should make a really epic movie for this game and have markiplier as the main character.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is not an expedition. It is an execution. If there is still hope, it lies beyond the veil Iron Lung is great. It's a fantastic slow burn horror experience that has atmosphere, tension and uncertain fate all tied up neatly with interesting lore. David Szymanski knows horror and tension. The Iron Lung Movie takes this and expands upon it greatly with lore, worldbuilding, characters and even more dread awaiting each moment. Massive kudos to Mark and his crew for making the movie and David…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game created new submarine,, out of my butt,,,, poop... because its scary...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Iron Lung is currently the 13th most popular paid game on the Google Play Store!
neutral · AI labelView post →my latest video is about video game to film/TV adaptations and why that industry doesn't just... use the people who wrote the games in the first place (inspired by Iron Lung + the fact that Larian isn't AT ALL involved in the Baldur's Gate 3 adaptation) youtu.be/nrFGhbkqJy4?...
neutral · AI labelView post →took my dad to see Iron Lung. he was interested in the game and said “wow this is the first time I’m actually interested in seeing a movie” I didn’t know much about it going in, but thought it was cool! I appreciated the practical effects a lot
neutral · AI labelView post →New video is on FEED MY MECH. A mech simulation game that has you fighting strange creatures in a maze of underground lost human colonies. It's the strangest baby that Iron Lung, Five Nights at Freddy's 2, and Neon Genesis Evangelion ever produced. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nioU...
neutral · AI labelView post →It took us a bit, but Iron Lung is finally available on Android devices! play.google.com/store/apps/d... The port was done by @ducky-dev.bsky.social and I, so we can confirm that it plays well and runs well. With a pair of headphones, it's actually a decent way to play the game!
positive · AI labelView post →I see why Markiplier made a whole damn movie about this. Is it short? yes. Does it have few mechanics? Yes. Is it creepy, original and cool? YES. I'm a little bit late to the party but at the time this was released, the internet was full of unoriginal ass games and this really stood out, I remember that really well. The thought behind this game is really deep and definetly deserves a continuation. The frog beast or whatever it's name is was really cool and i loved how you saw it at one of the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very scary. Almost soiled my trousers when the wall from the Roblox game "Get crushed by a speeding wall" showed up. Terrifying atmosphere. Only downside is that the game was in first person so I couldn't see Markiplier's face.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a pretty cool game, would be lowkey cool if they made a movie about it. Maybe have a Youtuber make it, perhaps even Markiplier.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love that Iron Lung is doing well. It's fun that an indie movie based on an indie game is winning!!!
neutral · AI labelView post →Ngl, I didn't even know Iron Lung or a new Sam Raimi movie released this weekend until recently because I was so focused on releasing Erma The Game. Guess this is a very spooky weekend, huh?
neutral · AI labelView post →Also hey, I vlogged the WHOLE MONTH! Also including the streamer awards, the Iron Lung premiere, and the game awards: youtu.be/U1vtnTTbm_Q
neutral · AI labelView post →With Iron Lung coming out, here is one of my favorite facts to jumpscare people with at parties: Markiplier played a horror game I made one time, like five years ago! It was wild!!!!
neutral · AI labelView post →Adding: After Iron Lung Execs: Video Game movies! More Video Game stories! Not passion projects made by creative people with new ideas and the appropriate amount of time to cook. VIDEO GAMES.
neutral · AI labelView post →I see Melania is doing better than expected, surging to 6% on Rotten Tomatoes and nosing ahead of Iron Lung, a movie apparently based on a game about sealing a dude in a metal pod in an ocean of goopy blood that leaks in through the seams. Maybe a double feature?
neutral · AI labelView post →In roughly 2.5 hours we'll be going live with the Markiplier Movie Game: Iron Lung, and Project Proxima!! I've already seen pretty much everything in Iron Lung BUT IT'S PROBABLY STILL GONNA SCARE ME
neutral · AI labelView post →YouTube star Markiplier will be self-releasing his horror movie IRON LUNG in theaters on January 30. Markiplier teases that the indie horror game adaptation will break the world record for “most blood in a horror movie.” He adds onto that bold statement, “Or any movie for that matter.”
neutral · AI labelView post →Here's an old High-er quality Iron Lung render I made last year. it is based off of @duskdev.bsky.social 's game Iron Lung! took me around a month to make within Blender! More photos are on my Artstation #b3d #ironlung #3dart
neutral · AI labelView post →Taken from tumblr. Now David, creator of Iron Lung game, knows about the Space Yaoi. Love that. #bloodymary #ironlung #projecthailmary #markiplier #ryangosling #SimonGrace
neutral · AI labelView post →I still can't wrap my head around the fact that out of all the games this one got turned into a movie. The game has an interesting concept for sure but the gameplay is basically just matching coordinates, taking photos and maybe getting startled by cheap jumpscares. Even though it's a little overhyped, I'm giving it a thumbs up nonetheless since I enjoyed my time being in a windowless submarine.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Iron Lung (the game) was so fucking cool
positive · AI labelView post →NEW VIDEO I saw the Iron Lung movie! I really liked it! It's fun and faithful to David Szymanski's original game. Plus, it was not what I was expecting in more ways than one. youtu.be/UAaNEkbFf7I
positive · AI labelView post →🔔 NEW VIDEO! 🔔 Something different! I explore the most disturbing deep sea horror (game) David Szymanski’s IRON LUNG! youtu.be/ZQI4xdT_LSI Comments and shares appreciated!!
neutral · AI labelView post →Iron Lung is a compact but extraordinarily potent piece of atmospheric horror, a game that strips the genre down to its barest elements and uses confinement, sensory deprivation, and slow-building dread to create an experience far larger than its modest scope suggests. Developed and published by David Szymanski, the creator behind titles like DUSK, the game abandons traditional horror spectacle for an unnerving journey into a dying universe where humanity grasps at any remaining lifeline. You…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Iron Lung? More like Tin Can!" "At least they aren't piloting this one with a game controller!" "DOHOHOHOHO!"
neutral · AI labelView post →It's not replayable but it's very fun and interactive. Mark was right to make a movie about this game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The one true wizard school game. From ALL the Szymanski brothers (My Friendly Neighbourhood, Dusk, Iron Lung, etc).
neutral · AI labelView post →hey markleplier, congrats on your movei. im glad youre having fun., much love, grandmom
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Iron Lung (Game) is also scary
positive · AI labelView post →Mousie has become trapped inside his very own Iron Lung, in his very own Blood Ocean! The camera doesn't seem to be giving the same images as in the game though... I dub this the Iron Bun, @fecklessbun.bsky.social simply won't stop eating Mousie clones 🙃
neutral · AI labelView post →I love when steam reviewers love to just assume Moonrot was heavily inspired by Iron Lung and then are disappointed when the game is different from Iron Lung
neutral · AI labelView post →Market pliers Also, got the game as a present for my bday:D
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A deep dive into tension, confusion, and very bad parking I’ve finally played this on stream after one of my good friends insisted so much after watching Markiplier’s movie, and all I’ll say is... it didn’t disappoint. Didn't go the way I expected, but it's definitely not a miss either. To begin with, I wouldn’t call this a horror game per se. A thriller? Absolutely. A full-on tension piece? 100%. But horror? Not quite. The whole experience lives in the suspense, the unanswered questions, the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →AND WE'RE LIVE WITH THE MARKIPLIER MOVIE GAME: IRON LUNG Once it's done, we'll do Project Proxima! Link in the description
neutral · AI labelView post →IRON LUNG - REVIEW 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸 She iron on my lung til' I plier 😩 Jokes aside, I think this was a really good adaptation of the game! It adds more lore to chew on, so I hope we get to see more of the universe. Mark's acting is excellent, and the cast/visuals are really top-notch! #review #moviereview
positive · AI labelView post →While it’s narratively obtuse and bites off way more than it can chew, Markipier’s IRON LUNG is a surprisingly enthralling cosmic horror that elevates David Szymanski’s game with a few rustic psychological twists and human moments that suggest a promising filmmaking future. Also…
neutral · AI labelView post →I just watched Iron Lung randomly. Never played the game or watched anyone play the game, never seen Markiplier before. Didn't know what to expect other than i've heard many people praise it. Pretty impressed, ngl. Cinamatography, sound design, music, all phenomenal. Tension: artfully orchestrated
positive · AI labelView post →I am the best navigator but I do now need a change of pants! Thought I would play this before I went to see the movie so I could see what it was all about! Absolutely loved the atmosphere of the whole game, the subtle noises and banging outside of the ship while being completely blind put me very on edge. The navigation system was so interesting, while it may be annoying for some I loved how precise you had to be and plotting my exact next point on the map to get to my next location!…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Peoples! New #giveaway for a Steam game is here! gleam.io/OF73B/sathri... 3 winners again because I watched the Iron Lung movie and it was pretty good, I appreciate Markiplier's eldritch endeavors Follow me on twitch.tv/sathrimel for more chances to win
neutral · AI labelView post →Markiplier's Iron Lung film might be getting all the attention, but the game it's based on is a masterclass in a very specific kind of horror www.eurogamer.net/iron-lung-is...
neutral · AI labelView post →played this in anticipation of the movie and had a good time super eerie ambience and as someone who hates blood and the ocean this got to me gameplay got kinda repetitive but the game doesn't overstay its welcome 7/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I found the game overhyped. While I understand the intent is claustrophobic immersion, for me, it just felt like an hour of matching coordinates accompanied by loud audio cues. I personally don't think the concept has enough depth to justify the hype or a film adaptation. It would've been fine for a free game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New Projector Short! YouTuber Markiplier wades onto the big screen with a self-financed adaptation of the survival horror game Iron Lung, which feels like a remarkable accomplishment as an indie feature, regardless of its flaws - like its overlong run time. youtube.com/shorts/188N3...
neutral · AI labelView post →I came from the movie. My love for this game is very forced I'll be honest. There isn't much to do. It's a map navigation simulation where in practice, you just calculate you lat/lon and just move in increments of UP - DOWN - LEFT - RIGHT. Was hoping for more atmosphere and world building depth but hey - I can always go watch the movie again. Beat it in an hour. It was fun to larp as Simon for that hour so I recommend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the biggest difference between Exit 8, Iron Lung and Resident Evil as live-action game movies is the internet probably couldn't handle markiplier getting someone pregnant in theirs
neutral · AI labelView post →Elli Trophy for Hallowe'en 2026 - Funniest Costume 4x4 Acrylic on canvas Creature by @deadlymelodic.bsky.social for the film Iron Lung by Markiplier based on the game by @duskdev.bsky.social & voiced by @elsielovelock.bsky.social ”...Just try to control your breathing." SM-8 Scientist Lead #ironlung
neutral · AI labelView post →Question for anyone that’s seen the Iron Lung movie, would I still enjoy/understand it having not played the game? I kinda wanna see it 💀
neutral · AI labelView post →hello everybody my name is markiplier today im publishing my new movie called iron lung 10/10 game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Belated happy new year! Usually I do a big rundown of everything I've finished over the past year, but this year was mostly game updates, the Iron Lung movie, and personal life stuff. The Iron Lung movie, Butcher's Creek, and more to come this year!
neutral · AI labelView post →Game of thrones x Iron lung Simon of House Stark Ryland from PHM is next hehehe #gameofthronesxironlung #ironlung #markiplier #simontheconvict #bloodymary
neutral · AI labelView post →Iron Lung is a low poly submarine horror game developed by David Szymanski, an indie game developer who had previously worked with the now legendary New Blood Interactive publishing company on the basically revolutionary DUSK, a “boomer shooter” throwback to Quake that revitalized the throwback shooter genre. The development of the game would come about due to David Symanzki and his wife were in Scotland visiting one of the Loch Ness Museums and he just came up with the idea of a submarine deep…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Iron Lung: The Video Game - The Movie So, I've finally played Iron Lung. I have a bit of a history with the game—when initially starting to take my writing a bit more seriously back in 2022, I gave it a proper try to convince David Szymanski to provide me with a review copy of it. Unceremoniously and expectedly, he ignored my message on Twitter, lol. The reason I've finally played it after all this time is because I found myself morbidly curious about Markiplier's adaptation of it, and it…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Finally got to play the game for myself and ugh it's just as terrifying as watching someone play it! I love it!! Can't wait for the movie to come out :) so cool to see what started as a small game become a movie!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly it's a breath of fresh air to play a scary game that doesn't have ten billion puzzles and jumpscares. This game uses atmosphere and worldbuilding to do the horror instead, which works better for me as a player. The scares aren't corny either, they are things that would actually scare you in this situation, like the sub groaning, or your equipment beeping, or a random fire. I'm also a sucker for cosmic/space horror, and a story about the universe going dark and you being on a blood moon…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Iron Lung WAS SO GOOD! got no clue what its video game inspiration is like But the movie is so Well done! mark plier does a great acting job
positive · AI labelView post →A unique horror that makes you feel claustrophobic, trapped and anxious all while piloting a submarine blindly using coordinates. I mainly picked this game up since I am seeing Mark's new movie soon and I wanted to experience the game hands on before the film. I was surprised how on edge the game makes you feel as you pilot the sub. From shaking the whole thing to destruction of the interior such as fires, flooding, taking images when you want to see what is in front of you resulting into some…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the game Iron Lung is like one of my worst fears (thalassophobia) and I have no investment in Markiplier but they got limited showings of the Iron Lung movie at our local theatre and I want to support that project and ones like it so next weekend I’m going to scream and piss my pants I guess
neutral · AI labelView post →
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