It took 13 years for this sci-fi survival-horror game to launch into Xbox Game Pass, and I think it was worth the wait

Even if you only consider when ROUTINE made its second debut at Summer Game Fest 2022, we've still been waiting for this unique survival-horror game to release for a long time — and ROUTINE was actually first teased over 13 years ago.

The small team at Lunar Software restarted development at some point, making the final product a decade late and very different than the initial teaser trailer you can still go watch at YouTube.com. A lot of people (myself included) understandably assumed ROUTINE would never actually release, but it's actually here and one of my favorite games of the year.

ROUTINE clearly lacks the budget and scope of major horror franchises like RESIDENT EVIL and SILENT HILL, and its seven-hour runtime is on the modest side, but ROUTINE still manages to firmly establish itself as a survival-horror gem thanks to its unyieldingly terrifying atmosphere and fascinating retro-futuristic setting. Here's why ROUTINE is a Windows Central Must Play.

Some things should simply be left alone

ROUTINE | Launch Trailer - YouTube

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ROUTINE begins with a nightmare and a prophecy, and then you wake up. It's time to complete orientation and end your mandatory isolation, but where are you? Where is... anyone? This is Union Plaza, a cutting-edge facility built into the moon, but you are alone — at least, you're pretty sure you are.

It's clear that something has gone very wrong at Union Plaza, and there are even darker secrets spilling out from where they're buried beneath the lunar surface, dragging you deeper and deeper until you're consumed.

ROUTINE wastes no time establishing its atmosphere, catching you in the psychological crossfire between its stunning art direction, unsettling lighting, and striking audio design. This is a horror game, but ROUTINE doesn't rely on cheap jump scares or gaudy gore to get that point across.

I usually avoid spoilers in my game reviews, but I'm especially tight-lipped about ROUTINE. This game doesn't overstay its welcome, but still manages to feel full. A lot happens in ROUTINE, and none of it is likely to make you feel safe or comfortable.

ROUTINE always looks amazing, though. This is an alternate history drenched in morbid 1980s aesthetics, replete with off-white plastic, cassettes, and CRT displays. I alluded to it before; ROUTINE is consistently unnerving because of its immaculately off-putting atmosphere, and the few jump scares present so completely caught me off guard I nearly closed the game out of instinct.

Ultimately, ROUTINE is terrifying because it feels plausible. Reality is twisted to suit the narrative, sure, but the foundation is built on a human characteristic we've proven time and time again — we simply don't know when to leave well enough alone.

Don't expect to have your hand held

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Don't expect ROUTINE to give you quest markers and constant exposition. Don't expect to be told explicitly where to go and what to do. If you want to survive the dangers of Union Plaza, you'll need to move slowly, explore carefully, and think smartly.

ROUTINE is a fairly linear game, so you're never in danger of becoming totally lost, but you're rarely told explicitly how you're supposed to progress. You'll have to rely on environmental clues, common sense, and the little information you'll find from the people who used to inhabit this station (and none of those people were writing notes with the intention of guiding some random stranger through endless catastrophes).

You'll also have to rely heavily on your Cosmonaut Assistance Tool (C.A.T.), which can reveal secrets, interact with terminals and equipment, save your progress and the information you've collected so far, and even help you defend yourself in an emergency.

Ideally, though, you'll never have to use that final function, as Union Plaza's threats aren't ones you can overcome through violence alone. You're not an inhumanly strong, fast, and well-armed bad ass battling your way through grotesque horrors, you're just as frail and even more vulnerable than the hordes of people who used to occupy Union Plaza.

Honestly, I prefer this approach to something like Cronos: The New Dawn, which leans into the challenge of its combat scenarios to elevate its horror. ROUTINE is slower, but the dread you feel is deeper. That being said, gameplay is also where ROUTINE is most likely to alienate new players.

The controls and user interfaces are clunky at best, and ROUTINE's refusal to give you pointers for solving its puzzles or completing its objectives can frustrate just as much as it engages. What kind of player you are will dictate how patient you can be with ROUTINE.

ROUTINE review: My final thoughts

✅You should play this if ...

• You want a new, unique, and genuinely creepy survival-horror game.
• You're looking for a spooky experience that won't take too much time.
• You like games that refuse to hold your hand throughout.

❌You should not play this if ...

• You prefer a more guided experience, or don't love vague puzzles.
• You enjoy survival-horror games where you actually fight back.

ID@Xbox has been on a roll this year, giving us a ton of incredible indie games for the Xbox ecosystem. ROUTINE is the latest in a long line of gaming excellence, and I greatly enjoyed every minute of my time with it.

Around 7 hours of gameplay and a $25 price may not seem like a good return for over 13 years of waiting, but I've played a lot of survival-horror games — and ROUTINE is going to stand out as one of my favorite so far.

I was sometimes annoyed or grew impatient, but I loved ROUTINE's world, atmosphere, and narrative. It also helps that it genuinely scared me at times (and generally creeped out), which frankly isn't a guarantee for a lot of games in the horror genre.

If you want to try it for yourself, ROUTINE is now available across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Ally and other handhelds, Windows PC (via the Microsoft Store and Steam), Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass. It's also an Xbox Play Anywhere title.

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