Author: Greg Lozano
It’s almost criminal that I didn’t know The Thing had a video game adaptation, but understandable—I never had a PS2 or an Xbox. Not knowing about the game, The Thing (2002) made reviewing The Thing Remastered more challenging, but challenges separate a standard reviewer from one who truly knows the content.
My best approach? Dive into the original game while exploring the updates made to see how well a game from 2002 holds up today. And I have to say—kudos to Nightdive Studios. They captured the essence of early 2000s gaming while enticing fans of John Carpenter’s The Thing in ways the original game didn’t. While it has some issues (mostly due to its early 2000s roots), the quality-of-life improvements go beyond graphics and gameplay—they even expand on fan theories from the film.
First Impressions: A Wall of Text and a Silent Snowfall
I started this game without prior knowledge of the original and approached it with the mindset of how a 2002 game might play today. Control-wise, it felt comfortable and easy to navigate. However, the game bombards players with text tutorials for nearly an hour. It’s like playing a complex board game for the first time—everyone sits around reading the dense manual before actually playing. The tutorials are necessary for understanding the mechanics, but they kill immersion. Progression is also hindered by the lack of clear objectives. Once objectives flash on-screen, there’s no way to revisit them, making it far too easy to get lost. At one point, I wandered for nearly 20 minutes, unsure of what to do next. Combine that with the eerie silence—aside from the crunching of snow underfoot—and it quickly becomes frustrating.
Tying It to the Movie: Nightdive’s Attention to Detail
Realizing that I needed to put myself in a 2002 gaming mindset, I researched the original game, and suddenly, everything about this remaster made sense. Nightdive Studios aimed to enhance elements the original missed, making it a more direct extension of The Thing movie. With Carpenter confirming that the game is canon, the effort put into film tie-ins is evident. For example, in the original, the fear system is introduced when the squad reacts to a randomly mutilated body. In the remaster, that body is Nauls, the character who mysteriously vanished in the film. Another fantastic detail is the film-accurate color tone, which heightens the immersion of “playing the movie.” One particularly clever addition is the lighting effects—fans have long speculated that infected characters in the film lacked reflections in their eyes, and this remaster subtly leans into that theory. These details alone make the game worth experiencing for fans.
Gameplay and Combat: A Perfectly Paced Experience
Armed with a better understanding of the game, I dove back in—and had a blast. Combat requires strategic weapon use rather than relying on a single go-to option. Unlike most survival horror games, ammo isn’t scarce, but delegating supplies to squadmates adds an extra layer of strategy. Each level demands different weapons and approaches, preventing the game from feeling repetitive. Too many movie tie-in games lazily recycle assets, but The Thing Remastered keeps environments distinct, making navigation easier despite the initial learning curve. Even enemy encounters—from Scuttlers to Walkers—offer variety, making for solid game design.
One of the biggest wins for this remaster? Its length. Clocking in at under four hours, it delivers a complete experience without unnecessary filler. So many modern games pad their runtime with fluff, but The Thing respects the player’s time. It’s the kind of game you can finish in an evening, then replay without feeling overwhelmed. In fact, I love the idea of making it a tradition—gather some friends, watch The Thing, then play the game to continue the story.
Final Verdict: A Faithful Tribute to Fans
This remaster does so much right. It retains the essence of early 2000s gaming while deepening its connection to the film. The controls are smooth, making it easy to pick up and play. However, the overwhelming amount of text for new players is a hurdle. Once past that, though, it’s an experience fans can revisit and enjoy repeatedly. Nightdive Studios understood the assignment and delivered better than those 90s pizza places promising “30 minutes or it’s free” without GPS.
While The Thing Remastered isn’t for everyone, it delivers exactly what its intended audience wants—more than the original ever did. Funny enough, this game has changed my rating system. Usually, I categorize games as Not Recommended, Recommended If, Recommended, Highly Recommended, and Must Play. But The Thing lands in a new category: Highly Recommended If—as in, I highly recommend this game if you’re a fan of the film and enjoy the nostalgic gameplay style of the early 2000s.
For a $29.99 price tag? You can’t go wrong.
Are you a fan of The Thing? Have you played the original 2002 game? Share your thoughts in the comments! If you’re looking for a remaster that respects its source material while offering a nostalgic survival horror experience, The Thing Remastered might be the perfect game for you. Pick up a copy and let us know—did Nightdive Studios do John Carpenter proud?