Xbox Game Pass is admittedly in a supremely weird spot right now, as the price rises alienate some of the consumer base, while at the same time the service continues to offer some brilliant games and day one releases.
Whatever the future does hold for the flagship subscription service, we're going to keep track of all the comings and goings in the meantime, and the first arrivals for December have been revealed.
As first reported by PureXbox, two games have now been confirmed as upcoming additions for Game Pass in December - sci-fi horror ROUTINE and tower defence roguelike Dome Keeper.
It's the former that we're going to focus on here, and with good reason. The horror game has technically been in development since 2013, and after disappearing for literal years, it has now reappeared and it looks like a stunning combination of classic sci-fi films, and some of the better isolation-focused scary games in recent years.
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Explore An Abandoned Lunar Base
ROUTINE takes place on an abandoned lunar base themed around a 1980s vision of the future, where you will have to explore and investigate your surroundings to stay alive and progress.
Essentially, you'll be working through the game to try and ascertain what exactly happened before your arrival. The base is huge and features everything people may have needed to live and thrive in space, including living quarters and malls, very similar to those you'd find on Earth.
The game gives players an item known as the Cosmonaut Assistance Tool [C.A.T.], which seems to function in a similar way to Fallout's Pip-Boy, allowing you to access terminals, unlock doors and progress through the environment.
There isn't too much in the way of combat either, so if you've played Alien: Isolation then you should have a fairly decent idea of what to expect. You'll largely be relying on running and hiding when you come face to face with danger, though the Cosmonaut Assistance Tool can supposedly be used as a last resort (though exactly how is unclear).
Many of the scares are going to come as part of the developers commitment to making the most of the game's sounds. ROUTINE features diagetic audio, as well as a minimal UI, all with the idea of increasing immersion in mind.
The game is set to feature as a day one release on Xbox Game Pass, arriving onto the service on 4 December. If that's not how you usually play, it's also available to buy on Steam.
Topics: Indie Games, Xbox Game Pass