The Thing: Remastered got a surprise launch today after dropping a brand-new trailer at the PC Gaming Show. A livestream presented by PC Gamer, this was a showcase of some of the most anticipated games (for PC and other platforms). One great surprise revealed was the sudden release of Nightdive Studios' remaster of The Thing, a 2002 survival horror game based on the 1982 film of the same name.

As revealed in a trailer during the PC Gaming Show, The Thing: Remastered is finally available as of today, December 5, 2024. It can currently be purchased, ed, and played on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

This sudden drop fits perfectly with the earlier announced release window of late 2024. It also confirms the quiet announcement, in an Xbox Wire post earlier this week, that claimed today would be The Thing's release date. Still, it's a welcome surprise for fans of the game and the original film series alike. But even if it's your first experience with The Thing, there are plenty of reasons to check out this unique survival horror game, especially now that it's readily available for modern platforms.

Why You Need To Play The Thing: Remastered

Survival Horror At Its Finest

Released in 1982, The Thing stars Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, and Keith David, and was directed by master of horror John Carpenter (It culminates in an ambiguous ending that fans are still arguing about 40 years later.

Although panned in its day, The Thing has since been subject to a major critical reckoning, largely focused on its boldly nihilistic tone, unrelentingly suspenseful atmosphere, and viscerally gory practical effects. But that's just the movie - let's talk about the game. Released in 2002, it picks up exactly where the game left off, as a US Army Special Forces squad lands at the ruins of the Antarctic research station in order to investigate its demise. Players control Captain J.F. Blake in what seems like a run-of-the-mill third-person survival horror shooter - but it's quickly revealed to be anything but.

As Blake navigates the base, he meets a variety of different NPCs who can him, becoming his followers. Different followers have different roles: they may be combat-focused soldiers, ive medics, or puzzle-solving engineers. Each follower also has a Trust meter, which represents how suspicious they are of Blake and how scared they are of the Things; if the player frequently shares resources with their followers, protects them in combat, or performs blood tests on themselves, they'll follow orders unquestioningly. If they don't, their followers may bug out and attack the rest of the party.

The Thing also has an infection feature, in which NPCs who come into with Things may later turn into Things themselves. This can happen randomly, even at the worst of times - for example, when the player is already in combat, or is low on ammo and healing items. This perfectly mirrors the tension of the original film, making for a challenging gameplay experience in which players must be prepared for anything.

Our Take: Worth Playing, Even In 2024

A Long Overdue Remaster

Whether it's your first time hearing of The Thing video game adaptation, or you've been gunning for a remake for years, its unique survival horror mechanics and faithful clinging to the original movie make it well worth checking out, even 20-plus years after its initial release. It's long overdue, too: The Thing was supposed to get a sequel way back in the early 2000s, but was canceled when developer Computer Artworks went into receivership, effectively closing its doors in 2003.

Seeing Nightdive Games, developers of such prolific remasters as System Shock, Blade Runner, Quake 2, Turok, Star Wars: Dark Forces, and I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, take up that mantle was exciting. As a longtime fan of the film and of Carpenter's work more generally, I've always hoped to see the game ported or remade for modern consoles and I'm thrilled that it's finally here.

Nightdive was also responsible for the System Shock remake.

I remained hopeful for the past few months that its late 2024 release window would somehow hold true, even as we entered the early days of December and time began running out. But, like The Thing itself, the remaster appeared suddenly, even shockingly, with today's shadow drop. Now that it's available, I can't wait to dive into The Thing: Remastered and experience its horrors once again.