The Thing: Remastered

Experience the chilling survival horror of ‘The Thing: Remastered’, a faithful recreation of the 2002 video game adaptation of John Carpenter’s classic film. Set in the desolate Antarctic wilderness, players must navigate a tense atmosphere of paranoia and betrayal as they fight for survival against a shape-shifting alien threat. This remastered edition boasts enhanced visuals and gameplay, bringing the terrifying experience to a new generation of players.

The Thing: Remastered: Review

This review examines The Thing: Remastered, a reimagining of the 2002 survival horror title, analyzing its development, narrative, gameplay, presentation, reception, and legacy within the broader context of video game history. My thesis is that while The Thing: Remastered successfully revitalizes the original game’s visuals and enhances some gameplay elements, it ultimately fails to fully address the underlying flaws of its source material, leaving it as a compelling but imperfect entry in the survival horror genre.

Development History & Context

The Thing (2002) emerged from a collaboration between Universal Interactive and Konami, capitalizing on the enduring popularity of John Carpenter’s 1982 film. Universal, seeking to leverage its film catalog for game adaptations, selected Computer Artworks, a British studio known for their squad-based title Evolva, to develop the game. The studio received considerable creative freedom, aiming to translate the film’s themes of paranoia and isolation into a unique gaming experience. Published under Vivendi Universal’s Black Label Games, The Thing (2002) received a mixed but generally positive reception, praised for its innovative squad mechanics and atmosphere, but criticized for technical limitations and narrative inconsistencies. However, Computer Artworks’ subsequent collapse prevented the development of a planned sequel.

Fast forward to 2024, and Nightdive Studios, renowned for its expertise in remastering classic games (e.g., System Shock, Shadow Man), acquired the rights and undertook the ambitious task of bringing The Thing to modern platforms. This remaster leverages Nightdive’s KEX Engine, resulting in significant visual enhancements and several quality-of-life improvements. The release coincided with a renewed interest in retro gaming and survival horror, creating a receptive audience for a faithfully-remastered, albeit flawed, classic. The chosen platform was the Nintendo Switch, Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

The Thing: Remastered functions as a direct sequel to the 1982 film, picking up shortly after the ambiguous ending. Players assume the role of Captain J.F. Blake, leading a US Special Forces team investigating the aftermath at Outpost 31 and a nearby Norwegian research camp. The narrative revolves around the continued threat of the shape-shifting alien, the unfolding of a potential military conspiracy, and the ever-present paranoia that infects the remaining survivors. The core theme of distrust mirrors the film, forcing players to constantly question the loyalty of their squadmates.

While the premise is intriguing and successfully evokes the atmosphere of the original film (especially in the opening hours), the narrative execution suffers from some shortcomings. The story is relatively linear and predictable in parts, lacking the intricate plot twists and thematic depth of its source material. The character development is minimal, hindering emotional investment. While the voice acting is generally considered adequate within the context of early 2000s game standards, it often comes across as melodramatic and stiff.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

The core gameplay loop involves navigating the environments of Outpost 31 and the surrounding area, solving simple environmental puzzles, and engaging in combat against both the shape-shifting alien and human adversaries. The squad-based mechanics form the game’s most distinctive element: players manage a team of AI-controlled squadmates with varying specialties (medics, soldiers, engineers), each possessing unique skills essential for survival and progression. The innovative trust/fear system, a central feature, influences how teammates respond to Blake’s actions and the environment, potentially leading to disobedience or even betrayal. Resource management, particularly ammunition and blood testing kits, adds to the tension.

While the core mechanics remain largely unchanged, The Thing: Remastered incorporates several enhancements. The aiming system has been improved and many bugs from the original have been patched out. This also includes the issue with the infection system causing involuntary teammate deaths. The trust/fear interface is now also much more visually clear and easier to follow. These improvements significantly enhance the overall play experience, addressing some of the more frustrating aspects of the original. However, the fundamental limitations of the game’s design, particularly the linearity of the narrative and the somewhat simplistic combat, remain.

World-Building, Art & Sound

The Thing: Remastered excels in its atmosphere. The desolate Antarctic setting, depicted with improved visuals and dynamic lighting, effectively conveys a sense of isolation and dread. The updated character models, textures, and animations make the game far more visually appealing than the original, though some elements of the original’s style remain. The creature designs, though sometimes reminiscent of early 2000s horror aesthetics, effectively convey grotesqueness and otherworldliness.

However, the sound design presents a mixed bag. While the use of Ennio Morricone’s original score successfully reinforces the film’s eerie mood in many sections of the game, the lack of ambient sounds and sparse musical stings are frequently noted as shortcomings, leading to sometimes jarring moments of silence that negatively impact the overall experience.

Reception & Legacy

The Thing (2002) received reasonably positive reviews upon release, lauded for its originality and atmospheric approach but criticized for technical flaws and inconsistent gameplay. The Thing: Remastered, while generally well-received for its visual upgrades and quality-of-life improvements, has been met with a more divided reaction. Critics praise Nightdive’s technical achievements but point out the limitations of the base game. Many reviewers appreciate the remaster’s existence, acknowledging its place in video game history, while others lament the missed opportunity for a more substantial remake that could have fully realized the potential of its mechanics. Reviews are largely positive, with an overall average score sitting around the 70% mark on many sites, indicating a mixed reaction, but predominantly positive reception.

Conclusion

The Thing: Remastered offers a significantly improved visual experience and addresses some gameplay frustrations, presenting a cleaner and more accessible version of the original 2002 game. However, the remaster ultimately doesn’t solve the core issues inherent in the source material: a relatively simple story and gameplay, alongside a somewhat inconsistent tonal shift from claustrophobic horror to a fairly generic shooter near the halfway point of the game. It remains a valuable addition for those curious about the original and fans of the film, offering an improved way to experience a game that pushed the boundaries of survival horror in its time. While a testament to Nightdive Studio’s remastering capabilities, The Thing: Remastered ultimately serves as a reminder that even with modern enhancements, a fundamentally flawed game can only be improved so much. Its status in video game history is secure as a curious case study, rather than a definitive masterpiece.