What has been the one thing lacking in recent horror games? Well, according to Lunar Software, it’s the moon. Being thrown into the skin of an unnamed protagonist inside a goofy looking space suit, Routine is staged in an abandoned moon station. Only equipped with the ”CAT” (“Cosmonaut Assistance Tool”), which is essentially a weapon with a floppy drive, your have to search for information on what happened to the crew. But here is the catch: You only get one try.
Mahi from NoobFeed writes: ROUTINE is a work of focused horror design. It focuses on mood rather than show, immersion rather than ease of access, and conflict rather than power fantasy. The game does a great job with interface design, environmental stories, and sound effects. ROUTINE works because it trusts people to think about what they do instead of just reacting.
Travis Bruno of Capsule Computers writes:
"It came as something of a surprise to learn that when Routine was released it had actually been a game that was first announced over thirteen years ago. Despite the slew of horror games and retro-futuristic titles that came afterwards, Lunar Software persisted with their vision in creating a horror game that does everything it can to make sure players are kept on their toes as well as immersed in the experience as possible by leaving them hanging with every puzzle and navigating the creepy halls of the lunar base. The question is, while the wait was a long one, has Routine turned out to be a success, or a routine failure?"
