Routine is a First-Person 80s Sci-Fi Survival Game in Development
Routine will be a new survival-horror title set on a moon base during an 80s-futurism motif. It will be an FPS adventure where players will need to fight inch by inch to escape the interstellar structure before they’re ripped apart by the menace roaming the halls. This game is aiming to be a fully immersive offering by minimizing the UI and having the player focus on the main protagonist’s avatar and the environment itself. Thus, the cassette technology will certainly give all the mechanics a sense of limitation. The use of archaic analog machines will give this game an Alien: Isolation feel to it, along with several other games of that ilk. No doubt the developer Lunar Software are fans of Ridley Scott’s old work along with other filmmakers of that era. This game has been in development for a really long time and it definitely has a lot going for it. Needless to say, there have been quite a few changes implemented during its production cycle.
It’s not really noted on whether or not Routine will be a cat and mouse horror survival title like Outlast or something that’s action-heavy like Dead Space. From what was seen from the trailer, it may have segments that offer a little bit of both. The footage that was shown is brief, but it is enough to soak in the atmosphere and garner a general feel of how this game will play. Even though this game will be played in first-person, whether or not it will have shooting mechanics is currently up in the air. The protagonist won’t be defenseless by any means. There will be ways to fight in this game. The thing is, the developers want the player to feel vulnerable like any kind of ‘every man’ as opposed to some geared-up warrior that’s ready for anything.
Grim Outer Rim
So, the thing about Routine is that it will center on the current tropes that all the survival horror games use. Scrambling around for supplies and upgrading equipment to bypass certain situations. The main tool that players will be using will be the C.A.T. Hence, this device is known as the “Cosmonaut Assistance Tool.” Generally, it sounds like this thing will be a swiss army knife for the main protagonist. It can be used for about any kind of situation. Thus, whenever players in are a pinch, they can actually use it as a weapon. Whether or not there will be any other weapons available in this game is yet to be established. As with any sci-fi horror game, weapons generally can be found in the guise of tools, pulse rifles, or light weapons. So far, the C.A.T. is labeled as the only means of defense.
Additionally, the C.A.T. can also be upgraded through the collection of modules that the main character finds during their adventure. Different functionalities will be unlocked to help players solve different puzzles and achieve more advanced feats. When it comes to combat, there will be a mechanic implemented in Routine called “Dead Zone Aiming.” What this sounds like is something that will be similar to the ‘Dead Eye’ mechanic in Red Dead Redemption. Players will most likely be able to zoom in on a particular part of an enemy’s anatomy and neutralize them. Perhaps, certain parts can be blown off in a tactical fashion to slow down pursuing enemies so players can escape. Yes, there will be quite a bit of running away in Routine. Players will need to pick their battles and know when to stand their ground and when to find a safe place to hide.
Space Doesn’t Care
From what was mentioned about Routine, running and hiding will be the main strategy for survival. This is really to be expected along with any other survival horror game on the market today. There will be quite a few places to hide in this game. Mainly to just help keep things fresh. Since the developers have been working on this game for close to ten years, hopefully, there is some innovation on how the main character gets out of the line of sight. There hasn’t really been anything stipulated on how this particular mechanic will work, all there is right now is merely conjecture. However, it has been established that there will be different biomes in the station that offer vastly different areas in terms of design and playability. A section that’s like a hotel with adjacent living quarters is one place that players will explore, along with immense shopping malls. Of course, these places will be shattered, broken down, and a former shell of themselves. Rife with things to find and trouble to get into.
Even though Routine has been in development for a very long time, the developers have been pretty quiet about the progress of its production. There have been some notable changes during its development, especially with the art design. It’s clear that the developers are trying to stay on top of the most updated tech and make sure this game will stay relevant in today’s ever-growing video game market. The fact that this game will be utilizing an 80s atmsophere does give it some freshness. Needless to say, there are now more eyes than ever watching the development of this game thanks to the most recent trailer just dropped. However, there are still some questions that are yet to be answered.
Lunar Lunacy
Even though gamers are still puzzled about exactly how Routine will play. The development of this game has been so quiet, that the gaming community just assumed it was canceled. Well, it appears that Routine is indeed alive and well. There are still some questions that need to be answered, but least the recent trailer answers at least a few of them. There is currently no release date put in place for this game and it has yet to be determined. When it does drop, it will most likely be a PC exclusive. No word on whether or not it will be coming to consoles as of yet.
