Routine: A Heart-Pounding Odyssey in Moonlit Terror

Get ready to have your nerves shaken and your knuckles whitened! Routine is the horror game that dares you to dive in—armed with intelligence, style, and a brutal hands-off approach that will push even the most seasoned horror fan to their limits. It's been awhile since a game gave me this level of fright, and believe me, when I say that, I’m not just whistling in the dark here.

Feel your senses spike as Routine keeps your ears hunting for stomping footfalls and your eyes darting through shadows to find refuge. Your grip on the controller will be so tight, your hands might just morph into a permanent claw! You can almost smell the fear—yes, that potent mix of dust, decay, and the tantalizing tang of burnt circuits envelops you. And pause for breath? Forget it! The pause menu's just a deadly trap where I've met my end more times than I'd care to count. Thanks, Dead Space.

It's a horrifyingly wonderful experience I thought only Alien: Isolation and Outlast could serve. Just like them, Routine hits you with unpredictable jumpscares and the chilling dread of being pursued by unkillable nightmares. But fear not, it doesn't stop there! Expect manual save points (because who needs those, right?), randomized puzzles (goodbye, cheat sheets!), and creature designs that belong in your worst dreams—and not the good kind.

Announced back in 2012, two years shy of Alien: Isolation gate-crashing the scene, Routine is beyond just atmospheric; it’s an era-defining journey. Imagine stepping into the antiqued future where our cosmic ventures beget a decaying tourist resort on the Moon. You, a lone software engineer at Union Plaza, are thrust into an '80s-flavored dystopia. Think The Jetsons meets Alien with retro CRTs and 70s wallpaper.

What's More Terrifying: Alien or Routine?

Your ally in this chilling tale? The CAT (Cosmonaut Assistance Tool). Despite its powerful abilities—hacking electronics, tracking clues, vision in the dark—its design nods to yesterday's tech, like an '80s camcorder with the battery life to match! But beware: when swapping modules while dodging an eerie Type-05 robot or desperately searching for a save point, you'll discover just how 'delightfully fiddly' this game can get. Ready to brave the scariest sci-fi horror ever? Strap in, it’s going to be a wild ride!