ROUTINE Brings Retro Lunar Horror to Game Pass—Is This Indie’s Long Road Worth the Wait?

The Indie Urban Legend Finally Gets a Release Date

When you’ve been following indie horror for a decade, games like ROUTINE occupy a strange place in your heart-part fever dream, part meme, part “sure, I’ll believe it when it’s in my library.” Well, at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025, it finally happened: Raw Fury and Lunar Software announced ROUTINE will actually launch late 2025 on Steam and Xbox, with day one Game Pass access. This isn’t just another vaporware punchline-it’s real, there’s new gameplay, and it’s happening.

• After 10 years in development limbo, ROUTINE is actually set for release.
• Atmospheric 80s-inspired analogue horror on a lunar base brings a unique vibe.
• Launching day one on Game Pass is a signal of real confidence in the title.
• The retro future aesthetic and diegetic UI set it apart from standard horror fare.

What Makes ROUTINE Stand Out in the Horror Genre?

Let’s be blunt: sci-fi horror set in space isn’t exactly new territory. From Dead Space’s necro-flesh corridors to Alien: Isolation’s dread-filled cat-and-mouse on Sevastopol Station, we’ve seen plenty of games try to terrify us among the stars. But ROUTINE always caught my eye for two reasons-the authentic 80s analogue tech vibe (think blinking CRTs, brass hardware, clunky keyboards), and a laser focus on minimal UI and immersion. The new trailer shows off sprawling lunar malls, grim residential quarters, and that uneasy quiet reserved for the best horror settings.

Where other horror games lean hard into jump-scares and gore, ROUTINE seems opting for the slow burn: heavy atmosphere, ambiguous threats, and a sense of place. The Cosmonaut Assistance Tool (C.A.T.), essentially a multi-function futuristic device, looks poised to do more than just scan rooms. It’s your lifeline—used for navigation, hacking, even as a desperate defense. That kind of tension (do I use my tool to distract or escape?) is the lifeblood of good survival horror.

Industry Context: Why This Indie Matters Now

I have to give Raw Fury props here. They’ve built a solid reputation with quirky, atmospheric hits like Norco, Sable, and the Kingdom series, elevating indies that punch above their weight. For Lunar Software—a three-person team plugging away since 2010—ROUTINE is their debut. In an industry choked with AAA remakes and safe bets, a passion project like this finally arriving is a testament to sticking it out (and probably some stubbornness).

The fact ROUTINE is landing day one on Xbox Game Pass is big. It means more eyeballs, lower barrier for horror fans, and, let’s be honest, potentially more honest critical feedback. Game Pass players are notorious for trying weird indies they’d never pay $40+ for out of pocket. I can see this game thriving in the “word of mouth” ecosystem if it delivers on that unsettling exploration and oppressive vibe.

Hype vs. Substance: Can ROUTINE Survive Its Own Myth?

I’d be remiss not to mention my skepticism, given ROUTINE’s long, drama-filled development. Promised since the early 2010s, with teasers, resets, and radio silence, this game has been the butt of many “is it canceled?” jokes. And every horror fan knows—expectation can kill. Lunar Software now has to live up to the kind of mystique that full studios dream about manufacturing.

But from what I’ve seen, the new gameplay trailer leans hard into its strengths: thick atmosphere, diegetic UI (no HUD clutter!), and an approach to space horror that feels more Carpenter and Kubrick than blood-splatter Twitch bait. If you loved hiding in vents in Alien: Isolation or getting lost in SOMA’s weird corridors, this could scratch that same itch.

The Gamer’s Perspective: Why You Should (or Shouldn’t) Care

Here’s the deal: This isn’t Outlast in a spacesuit or another Dead Space clone. ROUTINE is gambling everything on mood, immersion, and analogue style. That’s exciting—but it also means the game lives and dies on how much its world pulls you in. If you crave dopamine-fueled action or constant jump-scaring, this probably isn’t your ticket. But if you’re the kind of gamer who obsesses over environmental details and loves a slow, anxious crawl through the unknown, you owe it to yourself to at least give it a go—especially if you’re a Game Pass subscriber.

TL;DR

After a decade in limbo, ROUTINE’s retro lunar horror is finally poised to land on Steam and Xbox Game Pass in late 2025. It’s atmospheric, analogue, and dangerously hyped—but if it delivers on its promise, it could be the indie dark horse horror fans have waited years for. Cautious optimism, but I’ll be there on day one—flickering monitors and all.