There’s something lurking in the bleak, snowy wasteland of Antarctica. Within the ruins of an American research outpost, an extraterrestrial horror sleeps, waiting for whoever might happen upon it next. The tapes left behind by pilot R.J. MacReady are the only window into the tragedy that befell the outpost; a monster that slipped within their compound, with the power to look like anyone, behave like anything, and assimilate perfectly: The Thing.
As many gamers know, the cult classic horror movie by John Carpenter didn’t end with Childs and MacReady. In 2002, the video game was released for PC, PS2, and X-Box. And rather than simply be a rehash of the film, it was a continuation of the story, following Captain J.F. Blake and his Bravo Team as they investigate the aftermath of the film’s events. Many lauded it as one of the best movie-to-game adaptations, employing engaging gameplay and enemy encounters while still remaining faithful to the source material. In what feels like a move that’s taken far too long, “The Thing” video game is being given a loving remaster. To be released on PC and consoles very soon. Below is a first look at the game’s glow-up.
Memorable And Innovative Gameplay Kept Us Coming Back
While this only gives us a tease of what’s to come, it’s likely that the play mechanics will remain the same. And that’s perhaps one of its best selling points. Part of what made the 2002 game so engaging was the ability to switch up the play style via taking control of other members of Blake’s team. Three other character types are available, all with different skill sets for solving problems the game throws at you: Engineers, soldiers, and medics. The engineers are perhaps the most valuable, able to repair fuse boxes, which give you access to previously locked doors, save points, and computer terminals. Soldiers and medics are pretty self-explanatory. One’s a better shot, the other’s a healer.
But what really ties into the tension from the film is that the game employs a trust system. This determines whether or not Blake can employ the help of his teammates. A lack of trust leads them to believe you’re not Blake, but the Thing. Gaining that trust is paramount to the success of the mission, but it’s a delicate balance. It involves putting your team first over yourself; sharing ammo, healing, or protecting NPCs. But Blake can deplete that trust through friendly fire, taking ammo, or forcing them to follow an order. So players must strike an even keel between resource management and team maintenance in order to keep Bravo team not only alive, but in your favor.
It Works By NOT Being The Movie
There are very few movies that have had success in video game form. Most think the novelty of “playing through the movie” will sell the game. But unless your the LEGO games, chances are the game’s going for about 2 bucks on a Gamestop shelf. That’s the problem with novelty, it wears off quickly. But it’s a stroke of creative genius to keep the film’s narrative as a past experience while creating an entirely new story off its tail end. Which is exactly what makes “The Thing” so special. It doesn’t try to be the movie, it rides alongside it as its own entity. Unlike The Thing, it doesn’t try to assimilate into something it knows it can’t be. It keeps its parallels while being a fun, innovative game that has also become a cult classic in its own right. The gamers on the Nerdbot team can’t wait for this one, and you can hope to see a review to that effect in the near future.
