Routine: 13-Year Wait THRILLS... 0 Saves CRUSHES? - FixNtech

Introduction

Hey gamers, if you’re into moon horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat, Routine just dropped, and it’s blowing up. Released on Xbox in December 2025—specifically December 4th—this sci-fi nightmare has been 13 years in development, making it one of the longest waits in gaming history. Day one on Xbox Game Pass, it’s perfect for us in the USA to dive right in without dropping $24.99 upfront. But does the routine game review hype hold up? Or does the infamous Routine 0, which saves the permadeath promise, crush your soul? Let’s break it down in this honest Routine game review.

The Epic 13-Year Development Story: From Vaporware to Reality

Picture this: 2012 Gamescom. A tiny team at Lunar Software teases Routine, a first-person moon horror gem inspired by Alien, The Thing, and 80s sci-fi flicks. Fast-forward 13 years—pauses, engine swaps (UE3 to UE5), funding struggles, and even a full halt from 2017 to 2020. Publisher Raw Fury swoops in, and boom: December 4, 2025 launch on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Why so long? Lead designer Aaron Foster wanted perfection—a retro-futuristic lunar base (Union Plaza), no hand-holding, and pure immersion. No wonder Steam users gave it a 91% positive rating right out of the gate. That 13-year wait built insane hype, and honestly? It delivers thrills… mostly.

Gameplay: Moon Horror That Feels Too Real

You wake up on a silent lunar base. No tutorial, no waypoints—just your Cosmonaut Assistance Tool (C.A.T.), a clunky gadget for scanning, hacking, and stunning foes. Explore decaying quarters, tram stations, and even an abandoned mall bathed in chalky moonlight and flickering greens. Puzzles? Poke terminals, swap floppy disks, read emails—old-school smart.

Enemies? Smart Type-05 robots that hunt like terminators: laser scans, door-busting, and corner-peeking. Stealth or run—combat’s a last resort since your C.A.T. battery drains fast. No HUD, full-body view, diegetic sounds (boots echoing, doors whooshing). It’s Alien Isolation on the moon, but shorter (4-6 hours) and punchier.

The atmosphere is chef’s kiss: curly cables, CRT TVs, and plastic chairs dented from chaos. Sound design? Creaks, distant thuds—heart-pounding. Visual wounds show your damage (no health bar or kits), ramping tension.

Routine 0 Saves Permadeath: Hype vs. Reality—Does It Crush?

Early trailers screamed Routine 0 saves permadeath—die once, and the run restarts from the beginning. Fans drooled over that rogue-like edge. But here’s the tea: The final game ditched full permadeath. Devs experimented but scrapped it for saves via C.A.T.’s PDA.

Still crushes! Deaths are brutal—explosive animations that make you flinch. No medkits, limited batteries, and procedural threats mean one slip = reload from last save. Feels “perma” in chases, forcing caution. Thrilling for vets, crushing for casuals. I died 5 times the first hour—rage-quit vibes, but I pushed on. Perfect balance?

Graphics, Sound, and That Retro Vibe

UE5 shines: battered metals, shadows swallowing vents, and moon glow piercing darkness. Runs buttery 4K/60fps on Series X. Audio? Immersive sim heaven—no music overload, just industrial dread. Mick Gordon started, and the new composer nailed it.

Pros:

Insane atmosphere—the best moon horror since… ever.
Smart AI, unscripted scares.
Day-one Xbox Game Pass steal.
Short but replayable (hidden areas, alt ending).

Cons:

Linear despite exploration tease.
Story twist? Meh, tropes.
0 saves echo hurts newbies (easy mode? Nah).

Routine Game Review Verdict: Thrills Win (Mostly)

8.5/10. The 13-year wait was worth it—Routin is an atmospheric gem that fixes Alien Isolation‘s pacing issues. Xbox December 2025 timing? Genius for holiday scares. Does routine 0 save permadeath? Changed, but punishing enough to crush egos and thrill pros. Grab it via Game Pass, lights off, headphones on. You’ll jump, swear, and love it.