The Thing: Remastered returns players to the frozen wastes of Antarctica, where Outpost 31 lies abandoned after the events of Carpenter’s legendary film. You play as Captain J. F. Blake, leading a U.S. Special Forces rescue team sent to investigate the mysterious deaths of the American scientific staff. But in the cold, isolation, and paranoia take hold. A shape shifting alien that can duplicate people lurks among your squad. Every decision to trust someone risky, every team member may be infected. Surviving depends on controlling fear, maintaining trust, and knowing who is truly human.
The game was developed by Nightdive Studios and Published by Atari Inc. in 2024. It is a remastered version of the 2002 third person survival horror shooter originally created by Computer Artworks. It released on December 5, 2024, and is available on multiple platforms including Windows PC (Steam and GOG), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. This remaster upgrades the original with enhanced visuals, improved performance, and quality of life improvements while preserving the core mechanics and horror of the classic.
Gameplay
Players control Captain Blake and coordinate a squad through treacherous levels set at Outpost 31 and surrounding arctic environments. The remaster preserves the trust and infection mechanics: your squad members may hide alien copies, and you must use the blood test system carefully. Combat includes firearms, flamethrowers, and explosives, but resources are scarce and encounters dangerous. Exploration is also important, solving environmental puzzles, navigating hazardous terrain, and maintaining squad morale. The fear/trust of team members influences their performance and survival; neglect those and your group may fall apart from within.
Visuals and Style
The remaster adds modern graphical enhancements: dynamic lighting, specular mapping, improved textures, and upgraded character models. Environments are more atmospheric, with better shadows, depth of field, and lighting that accentuates the horror. Performance is boosted to allow for higher frame rates and 4K resolution on capable platforms. The art style balances gritty realism of the film with surreal horror at times when the alien threat changes form. Ambient sounds, wind, creaking ice, and the isolation of Antarctica all reinforce mood and dread.
Importance in Survival Horror History
The Thing: Remastered bridges classic survival horror and modern restoration work. The original game stood out for its paranoia mechanics, adaptation of the 1982 The Thing film, and its squad trust system. The remaster respects that legacy, demonstrating how game preservation and remastering can reintroduce iconic horror experiences with modern polish. It’s an example for how older horror shooters can be brought back for modern audiences without losing what made them memorable.
Reception and Historical Value
Critics and players broadly responded positively. Praise has centred on how well the remaster updates visuals and performance while keeping the tension, horror, and paranoia intact. Some criticism has touched on dated mechanics or controls that feel rooted in early 2000s design. Nonetheless, it is regarded as one of the stronger remastered horror titles of 2024, especially for fans of the original and lovers of atmospheric horror. Historically its value is both as a homage to a cult classic and a demonstration that restoration can work well when handled with care.
Availability and Collectibility
The game is available digitally on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. Physical editions standard and deluxe are planned for PlayStation 5 and Switch with extras like a steelbook, poster, ID card replica, patches, and deluxe packaging. Its combination of cult film connection, remastered visuals, and collectible physical editions make it a strong candidate for horror game collectors.
Get it on:
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2958970/The_Thing_Remastered/
GOG: The Thing: Remastered on GOG.com
Nintendo: The Thing: Remastered for Nintendo Switch – Nintendo Official Site
Xbox: Buy The Thing: Remastered | Xbox
Trailer: