ROUTINE similar games & best alternatives
ROUTINE
2025
Related articles
Quick resume
ROUTINE is a First Person Sci-Fi Horror set on an abandoned lunar base designed around an 80s vision of the future. Explore and investigate your surroundings as you survive against unknown threats.
Global score
93/100
Genres
Action, Adventure, Indie
Similar games
Pros
- Exceptional atmosphere and sound design
- Immersive retro-futuristic sci-fi setting
- Challenging and clever puzzles
- Minimal hand-holding enhances immersion
- Unique cat device mechanics
Cons
- Short game length
- Some narrative ambiguity and open-endedness
- Enemy ai can become predictable
- Lack of map or navigation aids can confuse
- Some players find controls clunky
Motivations
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Autonomy
Game with the same Autonomy vibe
4"Players must explore and solve puzzles largely on their own without handholding or guidance, reflecting high player control and decision-making."
Tomb Raider I (1996)
"Players must figure out puzzles and progress with minimal hand-holding, relying on their own decisions and exploration."
-
Competence
Game with the same Competence vibe
3"The game offers challenging puzzles that require skill and thinking, rewarding problem solving and mastery of mechanics."
Black The Fall
"The game offers challenging puzzles and requires problem-solving skills, rewarding player effectiveness."
-
Competition
Game with the same Competition vibe
-5"No evidence of competitive elements; focus is on individual experience and personal progression."
No one lives under the lighthouse Director's cut
"No evidence of competitive elements; focus is on individual experience and personal progression."
-
Continuation
Game with the same Continuation vibe
3"Players report immersive story and atmosphere encouraging extended play sessions, though game length is relatively short."
Gemini Rue
"Players report being captivated and playing long sessions; immersive atmosphere encourages extended play."
-
Cooperation
Game with the same Cooperation vibe
-5"Single-player experience with no multiplayer or cooperative gameplay mentioned."
HAAK
"Single-player experience with no multiplayer or cooperative gameplay mentioned."
-
Creativity
Game with the same Creativity vibe
2"Players experiment with different puzzle mechanics and strategies, but no creation or modification of content."
hexceed
"Players engage with unique mechanics like the CAT device and puzzle solving, but no creation or modification of content."
-
Domination
Game with the same Domination vibe
-5"No indication of exerting control over others; gameplay is solitary and non-competitive."
Hand of Doom
"No indication of exerting control over others; gameplay is solitary and non-competitive."
-
Escapism
Game with the same Escapism vibe
4"Strong immersion in horror atmosphere provides escape from reality."
[Chilla's Art] Aka Manto | 赤マント
"Strong immersion in a sci-fi horror world provides escape from reality and intense atmosphere."
-
Expectation
Game with the same Expectation vibe
-4"Players engage voluntarily out of interest and intrinsic motivation; no obligation or pressure noted."
Shattered Lights
"Players engage voluntarily out of interest and intrinsic motivation; no obligation or pressure noted."
-
Experimenting
Game with the same Experimenting vibe
3"Players explore unique mechanics and puzzle solutions, encouraging experimentation within the game."
Sonder
"Players explore mechanics like the CAT device and puzzle solutions, encouraging experimentation."
-
Exploration
Game with the same Exploration vibe
4"Strong emphasis on discovering new areas, interacting with characters, and uncovering secrets on the moon."
Putt-Putt® Goes to the Moon
"Exploration of detailed lunar base environments and uncovering story elements is central to gameplay."
-
Expression
Game with the same Expression vibe
-5"No customization or personalization options; presentation is fixed and standardized."
9.03m
"No customization or personalization options reported; presentation is fixed and diegetic."
-
Fantasy
Game with the same Fantasy vibe
4"Imaginative horror setting with exaggerated characters and surreal elements."
Lunch Lady
"Strong sci-fi horror setting with retro-futuristic and imaginative elements."
-
Fellowship
Game with the same Fellowship vibe
-5"The experience is solitary with no social or community features described."
It Steals
"Experience is solitary with no social or community features described."
-
Growth
Game with the same Growth vibe
3"Players develop skills in puzzle solving and game mechanics through gameplay."
Garten of Banban 7
"Players develop skills in puzzle solving and understanding game mechanics."
-
Health
Game with the same Health vibe
-5"No physical activity or health-related gameplay elements."
Half-Life 2
"No physical activity or health-related gameplay elements."
-
Idle
Game with the same Idle vibe
-4"Requires focused attention and continuous engagement due to difficulty and complex puzzles"
Environmental Station Alpha
"Requires focused attention and continuous engagement due to tension and puzzle complexity."
-
Intimacy
Game with the same Intimacy vibe
-5"No social or emotional relationship building; solitary experience."
Iris.Fall
"No social or emotional relationship building; solitary experience."
-
Leadership
Game with the same Leadership vibe
-5"No leadership or group management elements present."
Stray
"No leadership or group management elements present."
-
Progression
Game with the same Progression vibe
3"Players progress by solving puzzles and unlocking new areas, advancing story and game state."
The House of Da Vinci 2
"Players progress by solving puzzles, upgrading the CAT device, and advancing the story."
-
Relaxation
Game with the same Relaxation vibe
-3"The horror and suspense create tension and adrenaline rather than relaxation or flow."
Evil Nun: The Broken Mask
"Sustained tension and dread dominate the experience, with moments of horror and suspense."
-
Sensation
Game with the same Sensation vibe
4"Strong sensory stimulation through immersive sound design, visual effects, and atmospheric tension."
Apsulov: End of Gods
"Strong sensory stimulation through immersive sound design, visuals, and atmospheric tension."
-
Status
Game with the same Status vibe
-5"No social recognition or status systems involved."
Riddle Joker
"No social recognition or status systems involved."
-
Story
Game with the same Story vibe
4"Strong narrative immersion with environmental storytelling, journals, and lore."
Riven
"Narrative immersion through environmental storytelling, logs, and unfolding mystery."
-
Strategy
Game with the same Strategy vibe
3"Players use problem solving and planning to overcome puzzles and survive."
Backrooms: Escape Together
"Players engage in problem solving and planning to overcome puzzles and avoid threats."
-
Thrill
Game with the same Thrill vibe
4"Suspenseful horror elements and tense encounters create thrill and fear."
White Night
"Horror elements and suspenseful encounters create thrilling and tense moments."
-
Value
Game with the same Value vibe
3"Players feel the game offers good value for price given immersive gameplay and ongoing updates."
IRON REBELLION
"Players feel the game offers good value for price with immersive experience and quality content."
-
Violence
Game with the same Violence vibe
2"Combat is present but not gratuitous; violence is tactical and restrained."
Knights and Merchants
"Combat is minimal and tactical, mainly to stun enemies; violence is present but not gratuitous."
-
Survival
Game with the same Survival vibe
3"Survival elements through avoiding and managing threats with limited resources like flashlight battery."
Kraven Manor
"Avoiding enemies and managing resources like CAT battery adds survival challenge."
Analysis
Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Relaxation, Survival, Violence, Fellowship. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Expression, Competition, Status.
How to use the graph
Similar games map
Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.
- Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
- Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
- Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
- Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.
Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.
Where to buy
Last update: 30/04/2026