The Thing

The Thing delivers all the fear and loathing of the Hollywood horror classic that inspired it.

With The Thing, Computer Artworks has captured the look and mood of John Carpenter's classic shocker, right down to the grotesque creature designs and the creepy, minimalist score, bringing gamers back to the good old days when the horror film genre still had some teeth left in it. Taking place mere days after the conclusion of the film, the game forces you and your squad-mates to brave freezing temperatures?and a veritable flood of murderous, shapeshifting aliens?as you investigate a scientific research station to uncover the fate of MacReady and his crew.

Who Goes There?
License skeptics can breathe easy?though The Thing is hell-bent on remaining faithful to its cinematic source material, it doesn't skimp out on the gameplay. It easily could've been a substandard survival/horror title but instead holds its ground with great controls, a gripping story, and the added allure of squad-based gameplay. The Thing showcases beautiful environments, which feature tight texturing and lighting effects, and solid character models. The voice-acting is also miles ahead of the usual fare.

?We?re Not Getting Out of Here Alive, but Neither Is That Thing?
Most games in this genre go south when it comes to control, but The Thing doesn't suffer this fate, thanks to great camera work. Auto-targeting and the ability to strafe will get you through the balls-to-the-wall action sequences. The highly touted trust and fear systems, however, don't quite live up to their potential since squad-mates can easily be swayed by forking over weapons and ammo. The game would've also benefited from a few well-placed health packs after boss encounters. Notwithstanding these minor gripes, as an action/adventure, The Thing definitely provides, and the care the developers have taken to keep the tone similar to the film is icing on the cake. Recommended for sure.

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