From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

It will be on Gamepass, but launch price at $25 for a 6 hour game feels like something I'd be willing to pay to show the devs support. Early reviews
vary from very positive to meh....

rms

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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Early reviews vary from very positive to meh....

https://www.vdgms.com/reviews/routine-review

rms
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On Wed, 3 Dec 2025 14:02:42 -0700, "rms" <rmsmoo@moomoo.net> wrote:

It will be on Gamepass, but launch price at $25 for a 6 hour game feels like >something I'd be willing to pay to show the devs support. Early reviews >vary from very positive to meh....

rms

*--

Never heard of it!! But looks interesting and just put it on my Steam wishlist.

:-)

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On Wed, 3 Dec 2025 14:12:44 -0700, "rms" <rmsmoo@moomoo.net> wrote:

Early reviews vary from very positive to meh....

https://www.vdgms.com/reviews/routine-review

Honestly, I only _heard_ about this game for the first time yesterday
(when the marketing pitch hit all teh intawebs), so I've not had any
time to really form an opinion about it.

On the one hand, it has some nice visuals and its gameplay has been
described as being similar to "Alien Isolation", so that's cool.

On the other hand, (from what little I've seen) I'm not the biggest
fan of some of its aesthetics, and it doesn't seem to be doing
anything new.

Actually, looking at it, what it most reminds me of is "Callisto
Protocol". Anyone remember that game? It was basically a generic "Dead
Space" clone. Not a bad game, no, but lacking that spark and
originality that made the game it was aping so memorable.

"Routine" has a lot of that vibe to it, too.

OF course, this is all based on the few trailers and screenshots I've
seen. I've not played the game, so who knows if this opinion will hold
true. I've no real objecting to the game and can even imagine that
--sometime in the future-- I'll acquire it and play it.

But I can't say it's a game I'm eagerly looking forward to. I'll play
it, I might even enjoy it... but at the same time, if I never do, I
don't really feel like I'll be missing out.



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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

It will be on Gamepass, but launch price at $25

$19-20 now, use cheapshark.com to find lowest price (also on Gamepass).
I played an hour last night and Routine is definitely a sneaker/stealth exploration game, where you look for items/info to advance, while avoiding patrolling sentries, with backtracking required -- think the Amnesia games
or Soma. Highlights are the unsettling atmosphere, an odd almost
Matrix-esque dim grey-green lighting, and the lack of hand-holding: you
find information on how to move and your CAT multi-tool dribbled out in the environment as you proceed. As of now, I'm happy with what I'm seeing for
the price I paid, but I'm also sure that many will be unhappy with this
style of slow gameplay and lack of variety in weaponry & combat. But I'm
into it (also still playing Amerzone) and will continue.

rms

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