Routine

The indie scene has become a breeding ground for promising first-person horror games. Amnesia: The Dark Descent has an upcoming sequel, Among The Sleep places players in the role of a toddler, and Outlast takes place in a demented asylum. Judging by the gameplay trailer for Lunar Software's sci-fi thriller, Routine, horror fans have another game to keep on their radar.

Routine takes place in a deserted facility on the moon. Lunar Software is crafting an '80s vision of the future, complete with floppy disks and interactions with archaic computer programs. In the trailer, a disembodied voice advertises syrupy space snacks in a monotonous, low timbre. The protagonist also uses what appears to be a stun gun, complete with a night-vision screen with a low refresh rate. This gun appears to function similar to a video camera's IR mode, but with an image delay that could lead to some creepy surprises. Flashes of a stalking robot enemy can also be seen in the trailer. The mood and isolation reminds us of movies like Alien, Moon, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, all worlds any sci-fi fan would be eager to explore.

Routine is being developed by a very small team of dedicated developers who hope to have the game out on Steam sometime this year. For more information, check out Lunar Software's insightful Q&A videos on the studio's website.