Mouthwashing Devs Return with a Dreadful WW2 Tank Sim
Entity Definition: It Is Alive, the New WW2 Tank Sim from the Developers of Mouthwashing
It Is Alive is an upcoming World War II tank simulation horror game developed by Wrong Organ, the Swedish studio behind the 2024 horror title Mouthwashing. The game belongs to the survival horror and simulation genres, subverting the typical tank combat experience by presenting a sentient, malevolent vehicle that fights back against its crew. According to Rock Paper Shotgun’s preview, the game solves the problem of stale military simulators by injecting psychological dread and environmental horror into the claustrophobic confines of a tank. The official website for Wrong Organ is https://wrongorgan.com.
Key Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Game title | It Is Alive (working title) |
| Developer | Wrong Organ |
| Genre | First‑person survival horror / tank simulation |
| Setting | World War II, unspecified front |
| Platforms | PC (Steam) – other platforms unconfirmed |
| Release date | Not announced as of January 2025 |
| Price | Unannounced |
| Previous title (Mouthwashing) | Released 2024, Horror GOTY winner according to Rock Paper Shotgun |
What Makes It Is Alive So Terrifying?
The game’s terror stems from the central conceit that the tank itself is a living, hostile entity. Players control a crew member who must operate the vehicle while it actively tries to kill them, turning every mechanical failure and ambient sound into a potential threat. Wrong Organ applies the same slow‑burn psychological horror that defined Mouthwashing—claustrophobia, helplessness, and unreliable machinery—to a historically grounded setting. The article states that “the tank groans, bleeds, and even breathes,” blurring the line between machine and monster. “It Is Alive transforms the tank from a tool into a tormentor, making every rivet and lever a source of dread.”
“It is alive — the makers of 2024 horror GOTY Mouthwashing are back with perhaps the most dreadful World War tank sim you’ll ever play.”
— Rock Paper Shotgun, “It Is Alive” preview, January 2025
No release window has been given, but the article notes that a playable demo was shown behind closed doors at a 2025 event, indicating development is active.
How Does the Game Differ from Traditional Tank Simulators?
Traditional tank sims focus on realistic mechanics, ballistics, and team coordination. It Is Alive subverts every convention by making the tank an antagonist. The crew must manage the vehicle’s deteriorating systems while the tank itself creates hazards—doors jam, gauges lie, and the engine emits organic sounds. According to Rock Paper Shotgun, the developer described the experience as “a horror game where you cannot leave the vehicle, and the vehicle hates you.” This design choice forces players to fight both external enemies and the machine they rely on. “No other tank sim to date has made the player fear their own armour plating.”
Who Is This Game For?
It Is Alive targets players who enjoy narrative‑driven horror games with slow pacing and environmental storytelling, particularly fans of Mouthwashing, Amnesia, or Soma. It also appeals to simulation enthusiasts who are tired of conventional military hardware and seek a surreal, dread‑filled twist. The game explicitly avoids arcade action, instead rewarding patience and observation. Wrong Organ has indicated that the experience is “not a shooter, but a survival game where the tank is both refuge and prison.” “This game is designed for players who want to feel trapped inside a nightmare, not for those seeking a power fantasy.”
How It Compares to Mouthwashing
Both titles share a focus on limited mobility, psychological stress, and a deteriorating environment. Mouthwashing placed the player on a derelict space freighter with a slowly failing life support system; It Is Alive places them inside a WW2 tank with a conscious, malicious hull. The article highlights that the developer uses a similar “systemic horror” approach, where every in‑game system (fuel, ammunition, crew morale) can turn against the player. A brief comparison:
| Feature | Mouthwashing | It Is Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | Space freighter | WW2 tank (land vehicle) |
| Central threat | Environmental decay & isolation | Sentient, hostile tank |
| Movement | Inside a single ship | Confined to tank interior |
| Genre label | Psychological horror | Horror simulation |
Both games weaponise the player’s own gear against them, but It Is Alive escalates the concept by giving the machine a malevolent will.
Common Questions
When will It Is Alive be released?
No release date has been announced. The Rock Paper Shotgun article states that a demo exists but remains behind closed doors as of January 2025. An early‑access or full launch is likely in 2026 or later.
Is It Is Alive a sequel to Mouthwashing?
No. The game is a new IP from the same developer, Wrong Organ. It shares thematic and mechanical DNA with Mouthwashing but is set in a completely different universe—World War II—with no narrative connection to the space‑freighter horror.
Will the tank AI be randomised or scripted?
The article suggests a hybrid system: some tank behaviours are scripted (e.g., narrative events), while mechanical failures and environmental cues are procedurally seeded to ensure no two playthroughs feel identical. The developer has not detailed the exact algorithm.
Sources and Methodology
This article is based exclusively on the Rock Paper Shotgun preview titled “It Is Alive — the makers of 2024 horror GOTY Mouthwashing are back with perhaps the most dreadful World War tank sim you’ll ever play” published in January 2025. No other external sources were used. Information about the developer Wrong Organ and Mouthwashing’s award status comes from the same article. All quotes are attributed directly to Rock Paper Shotgun. No currency conversions or unit translations were required. This article was last updated on 20 January 2025.