ROUTINE

 
ROUTINE is a sci-fi survival horror game that became legendary for its development cycle, having been announced back in 2012 before finally launching on December 4, 2025. Developed by the small UK team at Lunar Software and published by Raw Fury, it drops players onto an abandoned Moon base designed with a distinct “retro-future” 1980s aesthetic. Think big chunky CRT monitors, floppy disks, and beige keyboards—all rendered in stunning, modern photorealism. It’s a game about isolation, analog technology, and the terrifying silence of space.
Silence, Stealth, and the C.A.T.: Core Gameplay

Analog Atmosphere: The game is committed to its 80s vision. There is no HUD (Heads-Up Display). To check your health, you look at your own body. To aim, you rely on the physical iron sights of your tool. The environment is cluttered with detailed, tactile objects that ground you in a believable, lived-in world that feels like the set of the original Alien movie.
The C.A.T. (Cosmonaut Assistance Tool): Your only “weapon” is the C.A.T., a multi-purpose tool that feels deliberately clunky. You use it to interface with computers, open doors, and—in dire emergencies—stun enemies. It runs on batteries, forcing you to scavenge for power constantly. It is not a gun; it is a desperate survival measure.
Run and Hide: Combat is lethal. The enemies—malfunctioning robots that eerily resemble crash test dummies—will kill you quickly. You must use stealth to navigate the base, listening for their distinctive mechanical footsteps. The game features a “dead zone” aiming system (where your gun moves independently of your view), adding to the feeling of panic when you try to line up a shot.
Permadeath Mode: For masochists, the game includes a permadeath option. If you die, you restart from the beginning. This was a core promise of the original 2012 pitch and remains in the final release, adding unbearable tension to every encounter.

How It Stacks Up
ROUTINE enters a genre defined by titans but holds its own through pure style.



Game
Key Difference




Alien: Isolation
Both games nail the “lo-fi sci-fi” aesthetic. Alien: Isolation features a singular, adaptive AI hunter (the Xenomorph). ROUTINE relies on multiple, patrolling robotic threats and environmental hazards, offering a slightly more predictable but equally tense stealth experience.


SOMA
SOMA is heavy on philosophical narrative and dialogue. ROUTINE is more minimalist, telling its story through environmental clues and silence rather than audio logs and conversations.


Dead Space
Dead Space is an action-horror game where you dismember monsters. ROUTINE is pure survival horror; you are weak, slow, and your best option is almost always to run away.



Key Details

Developer: Lunar Software.
Publisher: Raw Fury.
Platforms: PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S (Day 1 Game Pass).
Release Date: December 4, 2025.
Genre: First-Person Survival Horror.
Vibe: 2001: A Space Odyssey meets Five Nights at Freddy’s.

Who It’s For

Must-play for atmosphere junkies. If you love walking slowly through dark corridors, admiring the lighting and sound design, this is a masterclass in immersion.
Perfect for fans of “analog horror.” The sound of a hard drive spinning up or the click of a mechanical keyboard is integral to the game’s texture.
Skip if you need constant action. It is a slow burn. There are long stretches of quiet exploration where nothing happens, which can be boring if you expect a jump scare every minute.

Why It Works
It works because it feels hostile. The lack of a map, the scarce save points (in the form of photo booths), and the lethal enemies create a genuine fear of progress. You aren’t scared because a monster jumped out; you are scared because you haven’t saved in 20 minutes and you can hear footsteps around the corner. It captures the specific dread of being alone in a place that doesn’t care if you live or die.