Today brings with it a most welcome surprise, one that might result in gamers having to clear their calendars rather suddenly. That’s because Nightdive Studios has announced that The Thing: Remastered is available now. That’s right. Surprise! The much-anticipated remaster of the 2002 video game sequel to John Carpenter’s sci-fi/horror masterpiece is out now. We’ve even got a launch trailer to prove it. Check it out.
So there we have it. The game is available as we speak for both console and PC and retails for $29.99. The game is billed as a faithful restoration of the cult-classic 2002 third-person survival horror game that was inspired by 1982’s The Thing. The remaster of the game was first announced over the summer. Rather than make us all wait for a release date months away, Nightdive decided to hell with it and surprise-announced the release during the PC Gaming Show livestream.
Though not technically canon, the game serves as a direct sequel to the events of Carpenter’s film. It answers several big questions and continues the horrors witnessed by the poor souls stationed at Outpost #31. The official synopsis for the game reads as follows:
“In the frozen arctic tundra, a mysterious shape-shifting alien has wiped out the crew of the U.S. Outpost #31 research facility. In The Thing: Remastered, players step into the boots of Captain J.F. Blake, the leader of a United States Army Special Forces rescue team sent to investigate the blood-curdling events that transpired in the original The Thing film. Trapped by the elements and at risk of infection by a horrific entity, Blake must keep his squad together to survive by gaining their trust and ensuring that their fear and paranoia don't get the best of them… or himself.”
Nightdive Studios upgraded the game for the modern era through its proprietary KEX Engine for play on current-gen gaming devices. It will run at up to 4K resolution at 120FPS. They also made improvements to character models, textures, and animations. The studio also highlighted some key features of the remaster, including…
- Return to U.S. Outpost #31: Continue the story of The Thing and face off against terrifying monsters, from scuttling head-spiders and human-like walkers to gigantic multi-tentacled level bosses.
- Who Goes There?: Command a squad of up to four NPCs from Soldier, Medic, and Engineer character classes through the game’s 11 frightening levels.
- The Warmest Place to Hide: Someone in your squad may not be who they appear to be. The shape-shifting alien hides inside an imitation, so keep a watchful eye.
- Don’t Lose It: Gain the trust of your squad members and minimize their fear levels lest they become defiant or, worse, succumb to paranoia.
- Ultimate Alien Terror: Upgraded models, textures, and animations hand-crafted by Nightdive, plus enhanced lighting and atmospheric effects.
- Stunning Visuals: Up to 4K 120FPS visuals on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
- Checkmate: Trophies and Achievements on Windows PC via Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles
The Thing: Remastered is available digitally on PC, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch for $29.99.
