The Thing is a sometimes disregarded jewel of a movie tie-in.
With practically every major cinematic franchise represented in some capacity and these often varied in quality depending on just how hurriedly the developers were to meet the movie's release date, movie tie-in games were routinely pumped out by studios looking to capitalize on the release of a popular blockbuster until the 2010s. But there was also a period in the PS2 era when companies looked to famous films of decades past, such Scarface or The Godfather, and Computer Artworks' The Thing was a by-product of this.
But John Carpenter, a gamer himself, blessed the game with The Thing and even made an appearance in it as voiced an unfortunate scientist named Doctor Faraday, running a research team. The Thing took the themes of paranoia in the movie and turned them into a core gameplay mechanic with a unique fear/confidence system where NPC behavior differed depending on whether they believed the player was The Thing in disguise or not, and this could lead to erratic behavior in which they could potentially harm themselves and others. Carpenter's approval is unsurprising as while some movie tie-ins missed the point of the original film, turning them into mere action fests.
Unexpected PS2 Horror Revival hinted about by System Shock Remake Developer
Following on from its 2023 System Shock remake, Nightdive Studios just hinted at its next project, maybe a remaster or remake of an unexpected PS2 horror game. Though the System Shock remake was delayed several times and had a long and difficult development cycle, both fans and critics thought it was quite well-received; most praised Nightdive for keeping true to the beloved 1994 game while bringing it up to modern standards and eager to see what the studio focused on next.
Fans immediately identified this future project with an image of a twisted face lit in red on June 6, the official Nightdive Studios X account, as a color-shifted variation of the face found on the box art for the 2002 game based on John Carpenter's sci-fi Horror movie classic,. The studio said that its next game would be revealed during IGN Live, an in-person, three-day fan event in Los Angeles scheduled as one element of IGN's annual Summer of Gaming event and running alongside other game showcases including Summer Game Fest.
Is Nightdive seeking to revive a forgotten classic?
Nightdive Studios has done for former titles like Quake and the older Turok games, hence it's unclear if it wants to produce a full Remake of The Thing like what it did with System Shock or if it would just a remaster. Sadly, even if The Thing was a commercial success and had generally good reviews when it first came out in 2002, it has progressively been forgotten over the years; hence, maybe, this Remake or remaster will bring it the respect it deserves.
For Nightdive Studios, there are several reasons this would be an interesting endeavour. Strong followership and a cult classic Horror game define The Thing. Remastering or remaking the game could provide it the respect it deserves and assist to introduce it to a next generation of gamers. Nightdive Studios has demonstrated that it can produce excellent Remakes of old games with the release of System Shock in 2023. The studio has also shown that it can effectively revive franchises; many are eager to see what this next project will produce.
Packed with beloved and popular games, the sci-fi horror genre is
Though there are many of beloved and well-known games in the sci-fi horror genre, few of them truly stand out and impact next projects. One such is the original System Shock, which creatively combined the components of immersive simulation with horror in a manner later picked up by other games. The first System Shock was a revolutionary game that opened the path for many of the contemporary games we know now because of its emphasis on player choice and capacity to produce a quite horrible environment.
The Thing is another amazing game that turned its inspiration from a classic movie into its own original experience. The game presented a special mix of survival horror and paranoia and faithfully caught the mood of John Carpenter's famous movie. Additionally included in the game were several creative gameplay ideas eventually embraced by other games.
Early phases of development for a follow-up to The Thing were shelved upon Computer Artworks' 2003 receivership.
Early phases of development for a follow-up to The Thing were shelved upon Computer Artworks' 2003 receivership.
This would be a major lost chance, hence remastering would be fantastic for players and might inspire a brand-new game in the future. Nightdive Studios's intentions are unknown, but it's safe to presume the team is eager to attempt new ideas and that this will be a great addition to the horror gaming scene.
Source: X Nightdive Studios/X
