The unsettling atmosphere of this sci-fi thriller keeps players hooked long enough to reach the 10-hour mark, where satisfaction peaks. While the initial experience can be jarring for some, 344 positive mentions out of 400 total reviews since launch confirm its status as a compelling journey.
What it's about: Routine est un jeu de science-fiction et d'horreur en vue subjective dans une base lunaire abandonnée, dans un futur alternatif imaginé dans les années 80. Explorez et étudiez votre environnement pour survivre face à des menaces inconnues.
In-game
« Routine réussit à être un meilleur Alien Isolation qu'Alien Isolation lui-même, en assumant ne pas avoir de bon Gameplay (quoique) et en misant tout sur son ambiance, sa plastique et son rythme. »👍 anonymous review · 7 h played41« On steam deck, limit the fps to 45 and set settings to low, it runs perfectly well. Graphics look incredible, and for a team of any size (let alone 3); you can tell that a lot of love and work went into this game »👍 anonymous review · 0 h played3211« I never alt f4'd a horror game in my life before. This game is proper horror. That is all you need to know. »👍 anonymous review · 8 h played3111« This game is amazing. It was such an immersive experience. ROUTINE looks great, it sounds great and has such an atmosphere that it's really hard for me to describe. If you're fan of SOMA, then you'll like this game :) »👍 anonymous review · 5 h played11« Its like Alien Isolation and the Backrooms had a beautiful, nostalgic, subliminal, terrifying baby. We need more games like this! I hope they release dlcs for this bad boy »👍 anonymous review · 8 h played2« very atmospheric, captures the vibe of an abandoned space station quite well and the enemies are very imposing. »👍 anonymous review · 3 h played21
« Quelqu'un as t'il vu passer le gameplay ? Il semblerait qu'il se soit barrez loin d'ici »👎 anonymous review · 10 h played« Injouable car EXTREMEMENT FLOU, ca donne mal au crane et il n'existe aucun mod sur NexusMods pour rétablir ca. Dommage. »👎 anonymous review · 2 h played« Absolutely NO direction. Like it’s very easy to get to an area and be stuck for hours on either what to do or what to do next. Which I get that’s what they was going for, it’s just not for me. »👎 anonymous review · 1 h played« Didn't finish. - The jump scares get old. - Looking around for interactive elements without a reticle on the screen is tough. - Walking speed is slow like the character is dragging his feet the whole time. - My save disappeared. »👎 anonymous review · 12 h played« This is like a bad copy of alien isolation. »👎 anonymous review · 15 h played« GOTY 2025, a genuinely incredible sleeper hit, DO NOT SPOIL YOURSELF. This game is best played completely blind. »👍 anonymous review · 7 h played1
In players' words
« Routine réussit à être un meilleur Alien Isolation qu'Alien Isolation lui-même, en assumant ne pas avoir de bon Gameplay (quoique) et en misant tout sur son ambiance, sa plastique et son rythme. »👍 anonymous review · 7 h played41« Quelqu'un as t'il vu passer le gameplay ? Il semblerait qu'il se soit barrez loin d'ici »👎 anonymous review · 10 h played« On steam deck, limit the fps to 45 and set settings to low, it runs perfectly well. Graphics look incredible, and for a team of any size (let alone 3); you can tell that a lot of love and work went into this game »👍 anonymous review · 0 h played3211« Injouable car EXTREMEMENT FLOU, ca donne mal au crane et il n'existe aucun mod sur NexusMods pour rétablir ca. Dommage. »👎 anonymous review · 2 h played« I never alt f4'd a horror game in my life before. This game is proper horror. That is all you need to know. »👍 anonymous review · 8 h played3111« Absolutely NO direction. Like it’s very easy to get to an area and be stuck for hours on either what to do or what to do next. Which I get that’s what they was going for, it’s just not for me. »👎 anonymous review · 1 h played« This game is amazing. It was such an immersive experience. ROUTINE looks great, it sounds great and has such an atmosphere that it's really hard for me to describe. If you're fan of SOMA, then you'll like this game :) »👍 anonymous review · 5 h played11« Didn't finish. - The jump scares get old. - Looking around for interactive elements without a reticle on the screen is tough. - Walking speed is slow like the character is dragging his feet the whole time. - My save disappeared. »👎 anonymous review · 12 h played« Its like Alien Isolation and the Backrooms had a beautiful, nostalgic, subliminal, terrifying baby. We need more games like this! I hope they release dlcs for this bad boy »👍 anonymous review · 8 h played2« This is like a bad copy of alien isolation. »👎 anonymous review · 15 h played« very atmospheric, captures the vibe of an abandoned space station quite well and the enemies are very imposing. »👍 anonymous review · 3 h played21« GOTY 2025, a genuinely incredible sleeper hit, DO NOT SPOIL YOURSELF. This game is best played completely blind. »👍 anonymous review · 7 h played1
Anonymized excerpts from public Steam reviews — picked among those most voted "helpful" by the community.
What players say, by aspect
PositiveMixedNegative
Gameplay
67 % pos · n=110
Story / writing
85 % pos · n=67
Audio / music
98 % pos · n=62
Graphics / art
98 % pos · n=60
Content / longevity
29 % pos · n=14
Interface / UX
50 % pos · n=6
Performance
33 % pos · n=3
Value for money
0 % pos · n=2
Detailed data (table)
Aspect
Mentions
Positive
Mixed
Negative
Gameplay
110
74
11
25
Story / writing
67
57
5
5
Audio / music
62
61
0
1
Graphics / art
60
59
1
0
Content / longevity
14
4
6
4
Interface / UX
6
3
0
3
Performance
3
1
0
2
Value for money
2
0
0
2
Positive reviews by playtime
🎮 Players who like it have spent 8.2 h on median; those who dislike it: 5.3 h.
<2h
41 % (n=27)
2-10h
89 % (n=271)
10-25h
91 % (n=99)
>25h
100 % (n=3)
Fixed or still broken? Sentiment over time
➡️ Stable reception over time
% of positive reviews per month (months with ≥ 15 sample reviews).
💶 Price history
Steam price tracked automatically since Dec 04, 2025 · All-time low: €17.49 (Jun 08, 2026)
100% completion difficulty ("platinum")
27,9 %Accessible
of players have unlocked the rarest achievement — the upper bound of those who "100%'d" it. 14 achievements in total; the median achievement is unlocked by 44,7 % of players.
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· EN — NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO UP!! | Rectom Part 2!!!LIVEfnafpro20003 viewers
· EN — PLAYING GAMES!!!
The visual presentation is almost universally acclaimed, with 59 positive mentions out of 60 regarding its graphics.
Sound design serves as a pillar of the experience, garnering 61 positive mentions out of 62.
The narrative effectively maintains tension, supported by 57 positive mentions out of 67.
Longer-term players are the most satisfied, with a 91% approval rate among those playing between 10 and 25 hours.
Weaknesses
Core gameplay mechanics remain polarizing, with 25 negative mentions out of 110.
A segment of the audience finds the content lacking, with 4 negative and 6 mixed mentions out of 14 total.
Newcomers struggle to find their footing, as evidenced by a low 41% approval rate among players with under 2 hours of playtime.
Who is it for?
This title is crafted for fans of atmospheric horror who value immersive soundscapes and environmental storytelling over fast-paced action.
Is ROUTINE worth it in 2026?
Yes — player reception is very positive: 92% of 7,699 Steam reviews are positive (player score 85/100). Most-praised strength: The visual presentation is almost universally acclaimed. Current price: 17,49€ (30% off).
Verdict
Despite a rocky start for some, the game delivers a highly polished and frighteningly effective aesthetic experience. It succeeds primarily as a mood piece that rewards those willing to commit several hours to its unfolding mystery.
Is this synthesis accurate?
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💬 Discussion
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