Survival horror based on John Carpenter's cult film, direct sequel. Original and stressful trust system between characters. Successfully rendered icy Antarctic atmosphere. Paranoid infection test moments are memorable. A successful film tie-in.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player18+
Description
Dr. Blake survives the attack on an Antarctic base and must identify which members of his team have been contaminated by an alien creature capable of taking any form. Published by Black Label Games, released in 2002 in the United States and Europe. Direct sequel to John Carpenter's cult film, featuring a trust and infection system for each team member, shape-shifting monsters, and an icy paranoid atmosphere.
Thing, The review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
The Antarctic base is treated as a frozen chamber piece: corrugated metal corridors, buzzing neon, condensation on the portholes and a white blizzard the moment you step out. The creatures, by contrast, refuse any stable silhouette, mixing ribs, jaws and human limbs in asymmetrical masses that never repeat identically.
Teammates must be kept confident to stay useful, and nothing guarantees they are not already infected: a man who panics becomes dangerous, a reassured man may transform ten minutes later. The story therefore turns doubt into a mechanic, and leaves the player the burden of deciding who deserves a weapon.
An action horror game from Computer Artworks, The Thing extends John Carpenter's cult film, plunging the player into an Antarctic base infested by an alien creature able to imitate anyone, where you lead a team by managing the fear and trust of your teammates in the face of imitation paranoia. The oppressive atmosphere, the trust system between teammates and the fidelity to the film appeal to horror fans. The dated production and an uneven artificial intelligence bound the ambition. For a fan of action horror or of Carpenter, the title keeps a preserved tension and atmosphere, in a dated edition.
