It’s fair to say that this year’s Summer Game Fest event will likely be remembered in the future because of announcements like The Last of Us Part 1 and trailers from games such as Street Fighter 6. That doesn’t mean that the smaller indie games that brought some much-needed variety to proceedings should be forgotten about, though. Like most of Geoff Keighley’s shows, the event did a commendable job of spotlighting several exciting indie games. One that stood out in particular was Lunar Software’s Routine.
Announced almost 10 years ago at Gamescom 2012, Routine is now seemingly closer than ever to release. When the indie title launches on PC and Xbox consoles however, players could be in for a few welcome surprises. While it’s been known for years that Lunar Software’s game will be filled with atmosphere, Routine’s Summer Game Fest gameplay trailer suggests that the studio has channeled two specific influences whilst realizing that vision. All signs point to the game being an even more horror-centric Control, with musical overtures taken directly from Doom.
A Horror-Focused Control
From just the opening handful of shots in Routine’s Summer Game Fest trailer, it’s clear that Lunar Software has been inspired to a certain extent by Remedy’s Control. Everything from the 80s-themed aesthetic that radiates the game’s corridors, to the white colors that bring its plaza area to life, could have easily been lifted directly from the third-person shooter. If that wasn’t enough, the camera techniques that have been employed in the trailer, harken back to 2019’s cult classic hit as well.
The way that the studio has seemingly blended together clips from the real-world, with logos that could have been taken from a 80s TV show, is reminiscent of the storytelling techniques that Remedy employed in Control. However, all of this does not mean that Lunar Software is copying any other game. Everything that’s been shown and revealed about Routine so far has heavily implied that the studio is taking these inspirations and applying them to a strictly survival horror-themed experience.
Even though Control has its fair share of spooky moments, as well as a few that could be described as outright scary, it’s fair to say that Remedy’s shooter was never a true survival horror title. Thanks to Jesse’s ever-expanding arsenal of superpowers, Control’s supernatural foes were rarely able to wrong-foot the protagonist. In comparison, the way in which Routine’s robot easily picks up the game’s silent hero at the end of the trailer, is horrific on a completely different level.
Thanks to Lunar Software’s desire to creating a true horror experience, players could be in for a treat that they didn’t necessarily know they wanted. Taking the almost otherworldly 80s aesthetic and mystery that radiated throughout Control and applying it to a scarier scenario could create an unmissable experience. In some respects, the aforementioned studio’s Federal Bureau of Control was crying out for this type of game, so it's little surprise that Routine’s own Lunar Research Station looks like a natural evolution of the concept.
Doom’s Musical Influence
Even though Routine shares a lot of iconography in common with Remedy’s Control, it’s just as important to point out that it looks like one of id Software’s famous IPs has inspired Lunar Software as well. Between the game’s claustrophobic first-person perspective, and pre-fabricated off-world base locale, it’s safe to assume that the Doom franchise has played a hand in shaping Routine’s creation. The robotic enemies that the protagonist is stalked by at the end of the trailer have a demonic otherworldly quality to them for good measure, too.
While it’s easy to envision Routine’s roguelike gameplay taking some notes from Doom’s first-person shooting mechanics because of this, there’s even more reason to believe that the indie title will borrow some of its other qualities too. Lunar Software has already announced that Mick Gordon, the musician behind Doom 2016’s beloved soundtrack, is already on board to create an OST for the game. From the musical beats and foreboding sound effects that made it into the game’s trailer, there’s already a sense that this could be an inspired selection.
Having already played a hand in one of the most atmospheric titles in recent times, it’s safe to assume that Gordon’s influence will play a hand in elevating Routine’s horror qualities as well. With an aesthetic inspired by Control’s heady setting, and a soundtrack taken directly from Doom, horror fans could be in for a treat when Lunar Software is ready to unleash its game.
Routine is in development for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.