Indie Spotlight | Steam Next Fest 2026
In IRONWAKE, the thing sent into a deadly underground facility isn’t a soldier. It’s your consciousness, uploaded into an old industrial robot. Enunion Team’s upcoming psychological horror game puts a distinctive mechanical spin on the familiar nightmare of being trapped somewhere you shouldn’t be.
One robot, one voice, something in the dark
The game takes place in 2050 after nuclear war has devastated the surface. A sealed Soviet bunker beneath Kazakhstan contains something valuable enough to risk a mission into its depths. The player operates UNIT MARK-1, a long-dormant robot, with a radio operator as the only connection to the outside world.
According to the official Steam description, an enemy stalks the facility and cannot be defeated in direct combat. It reacts to light and sound. Shutting down power can help you hide, but also leaves you unable to see, turning the robot’s own systems into a survival dilemma.
Machines within machines
Another advertised mechanic involves entering malfunctioning systems digitally to solve puzzles while the robot’s physical body remains vulnerable. The bunker changes as the descent continues, moving from human spaces into industrial environments and stranger territory below.
The developers also describe clues that affect the ending, giving attentive players reasons to investigate rather than simply reach the exit. Visual effects including scanlines, static and CRT distortion reinforce the idea that you’re seeing the world through ageing machinery.
Demo and release
Steam currently lists a free demo and a planned release date of 27 October 2026. Developer Enunion Team contacted Coloured Static Press and expressed interest in a feature or development interview. Visit IRONWAKE on Steam.
Editor’s note: The gameplay systems above are described by the developer and on Steam. We have not presented them as first-hand testing.
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