Back in 2002, John Carpenter's classic The Thing - one of the best horror movies ever made, and arguably the best - got a sequel in video game form. Now, that PS2-era cult classic is getting the second chance it's always deserved thanks to the remaster masters at Nightdive Studios.
Announced today as part of IGN Live, The Thing: Remastered is out later this year, upgrading the original for modern platforms. On PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, the game will boast support for 4K 120 FPS action, and it looks like all platforms - including PS4, Xbox One, and Switch - will enjoy the benefits of improved lighting, models, textures, and animations.
The Thing is a direct sequel to the classic 1982 film of the same name, putting you in the role of a special forces soldier sent to investigate the aftermath of the events in the Antarctic base. It's a squad-based shooter where you can command a variety of NPC allies with different abilities, but the gimmick is those allies can be randomly infected by the Thing and have a chance of turning on you at any time.
The game reviewed reasonably well in 2002, though there was plenty of criticism that the trust/fear system - where your allies might start to suspect that you're the Thing - wasn't particularly deep. Still, the game sold over a million units, and has become a cult classic. Squad-based shooters were a dime a dozen at the time, but there weren't many willing to implement such experimental mechanics.
The remaster is, again, being developed by Nightdive Studios, and it couldn't be in better hands. Just this year, the studio has proven itself yet again with an excellent Star Wars: Dark Forces remaster, and it's also proven its interest in more obscure revivals with games like Killing Time: Resurrected and PO'ed: Definitive Edition. There's no studio I'd rather see give The Thing a second chance.
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