The Thing: Remastered

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The Thing: Remastered is a single player shooter game. It was developed by Computer Artworks and was released on December 5, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

The Thing: Remastered is a tense third-person survival horror shooter where you lead a U.S. Special Forces team in Antarctica, battling a deadly shape-shifting alien that mimics its victims. Combining fast-paced squad tactics with chilling horror, you must rely on every team member to investigate mysterious deaths and survive in a frozen, hostile environment. Trust no one, as the terror unfolds.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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90%

Audience ScoreBased on 850 reviews

gameplay60 positive mentions

music5 negative mentions

The remaster enhances the graphics and lighting, making the game visually appealing while retaining the original atmosphere.
The trust and fear system adds an interesting layer of tension, keeping players on edge about their squadmates' loyalty.
The gameplay is engaging, with a mix of action and horror elements that capture the essence of the original film.

The AI pathfinding can be frustrating, with squadmates often getting stuck or failing to follow commands.
The game is relatively short, taking around 5-6 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price for some players.
The story and character development are weak, with many NPCs feeling disposable and lacking depth.

gameplay
220 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The gameplay of "The Thing: Remastered" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique squad mechanics and atmosphere, but criticizing the execution of these features. While the trust and fear systems add an interesting layer of tension, they often feel underutilized and overshadowed by repetitive combat and outdated mechanics. Overall, the remaster improves visuals and some gameplay elements, but many feel it still falls short of fully realizing its potential, leaving a sense of nostalgia mixed with frustration.
- “The gameplay is fun with it being a survival horror with trying to fight against the aliens and trying to keep your party alive.”
- “The gameplay itself is a mix of third-person action and survival horror.”
- “The squad-based mechanics are really good, especially for 2002, and I found the infection system to be a nice twist that keeps you guessing as to if your teammates are infected or not.”
- “Even the final boss is fought alone despite the game's emphasis on team mechanics.”
- “But every mechanic it has is useless and what's left is a boring third-person shooter where, towards the end of the game, you're shooting more humans than monsters.”
- “The gameplay, however, ultimately lets this experience down.”
story
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
74%
8%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be a weak and generic continuation of the original film's narrative. While some appreciate the atmosphere and nods to the source material, others criticize the plot for being incoherent, predictable, and lacking depth, often feeling detached from the film's original tension and ambiguity. Overall, while the gameplay is often praised, the story is seen as a significant drawback, with calls for a more fleshed-out narrative in potential future installments.
- “Serving as a direct sequel to Carpenter's film, the game delivers a straightforward but genuinely compelling story that expands the lore in meaningful ways.”
- “The gameplay is still just as fun and nerve-wracking, the story still delivers that classic sense of paranoia, and the whole experience feels like a love letter to fans of both the 2002 game and Carpenter’s movie.”
- “I was very pleasantly surprised by this game, the story was unique enough in its own right to warrant it as the 'direct sequel' to John Carpenter's The Thing.”
- “The story is complete nonsense and has no depth.”
- “The plot is predictable and boring, the shooting is clunky, with no feedback to speak of, the level design is simplistic, and not in a good way.”
- “The way the story unfolds is a hot mess, with terribly designed cut scenes that lack any imagination.”
graphics
128 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
72%
2%
The remaster of "The Thing" has received mixed reviews regarding its graphics, with many praising the significant visual upgrades, including improved textures, lighting, and character models that enhance the game's atmosphere. However, some critics feel that the enhancements are not enough to justify the price, arguing that the remaster still retains many of the original's dated graphical elements and issues. Overall, while the remaster successfully modernizes the visuals, it is seen as a modest upgrade rather than a complete overhaul, leaving some players wishing for a more comprehensive remake.
- “The remaster is very well done; there's bonus behind-the-scenes content, textures and models are very high quality, the art style still holds up, and there's a lot of concept art to see.”
- “The graphics and especially the new lighting and shadows are phenomenal.”
- “The remaster improves on the original game in almost every way; graphics look good and the difficulty is toned down a bit.”
- “Why boost graphics for a <10-hour game that's >2 decades old so you need expensive hardware just to play an overpriced port?”
- “It's a janky game from 2002 that got a few graphical edges smoothed over, but not much else.”
- “The graphics are not impressive, but it's enjoyable.”
atmosphere
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its ability to evoke feelings of childhood dread, paranoia, and isolation, effectively capturing the essence of the original film. Reviewers highlight the oppressive and immersive environments, particularly the chilling snowy landscapes, although some note a lack of ambient sound that could enhance the experience. Overall, the remastered version successfully retains the iconic atmosphere while improving visual and gameplay elements, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric horror.
- “The atmosphere is pure childhood dread polished for modern screens.”
- “The atmosphere is as chilling as ever, with the claustrophobic Antarctic setting closely capturing the paranoia and isolation of the film.”
- “There's no dark ambient music that could easily add some atmosphere—nothing, even during boss fights.”
- “The atmosphere in the nighttime freezing cold exterior is very good, very oppressive.”
- “But there is a significant lack of proper ambient sounds to build the atmosphere, while the sounds that are there are not going to work well for a horror game either to scare the player off once eventually stuff happens.”
music
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
73%
15%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its significant absence throughout most of the campaign, including during key moments like boss fights. While some appreciate the sound design and find the existing music decent, the lack of a consistent soundtrack and memorable tracks detracts from the overall atmosphere, leading to a sense of boredom in quieter sections. Additionally, the removal of the original credits song "After Me" by Saliva has disappointed fans, further emphasizing the need for a more robust musical presence to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The audio is pretty decent, although there's barely any music.”
- “Sound design was good enough; the music was good.”
- “Seriously though, I do think it's totally awesome and in my opinion a phenomenal game. The atmosphere, the gameplay, the story, the characters, the fear, the monsters, the 2000s aesthetic, and the soundtrack are all top-notch.”
- “There's no dark ambient music that could easily add some atmosphere—nothing, even during boss fights.”
- “Silence can work to build tension in areas, especially if something was playing just before and the uneasy quiet sets the tone, but to have no music for a majority of the game is just boring.”
- “The sound design and lack of music really kills the overall experience.”
stability
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
76%
The stability of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While some players report a smooth experience with minimal bugs and no crashes, others have encountered various glitches, such as getting stuck in walls, NPC pathing issues, and problems with achievements. Overall, the remaster is generally considered playable, with improvements in graphics and performance, but some users advise caution due to occasional bugs.
- “The remaster itself is solid and it runs great, but everything about the game after the first couple of hours is just middle of the road.”
- “Yes, the graphics may look a little dated, but the rest of the game is not clunky at all and is very responsive and smooth. It also runs great on low-end PCs.”
- “This looks great, runs great, and the quality of life updates are most welcome.”
- “I encountered in-game bugs and glitches, like getting stuck in walls or boxes, scenes that were skipped, or achievements that failed to unlock (e.g., conspiracy theorist).”
- “Gameplay: 0/10, ultra linear levels, game-breaking glitches at Blair's cabin.”
- “The only real complaint I have is the buggy squadmates who will regularly just stop following you at certain points or just run head first into swarms of creatures and get infected.”
optimization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
40%
15%
Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with most players reporting smooth performance and minimal issues, such as occasional minor stutters. The remaster features impressive visual upgrades and runs well on various systems, maintaining a stable frame rate and low installation size. While some users noted minor glitches, these did not significantly detract from the overall seamless experience.
- “It's worth mentioning that the new lighting and visual upgrades here are excellent, and the game runs smoothly without any glitches.”
- “It’s rare to see a remaster this well-optimized, and it made my entire playthrough feel seamless.”
- “On the technical side, the game is well-optimized, with no performance issues apart from that one glitch.”
- “Characters are incredibly flat and performances are very hit and miss, it's cheesy but it fits with the presentation.”
- “The decision to only bump the graphics up to Xbox 360/PS3 level was a genius move not just in terms of art but in performance as well.”
- “I loved this game as a kid, so the only thing that would make me give it a bad review was if it had performance issues, poor controls, and somehow looked worse.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its quirky and wooden characters, with many players finding it surprisingly funny throughout the gameplay. References to pop culture, such as John Carpenter's "The Thing," add a layer of humor, while memorable moments and amusing cutscenes enhance the overall experience. Players recommend watching humorous playthroughs for additional laughs, highlighting the game's comedic elements as a standout feature.
- “Great game, surprisingly really funny.”
- “I had a blast playing it, some very funny moments.”
- “Hilariously, the ending credits song 'After Me' by Saliva has been replaced by a more familiar thematic sound.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's replayability is largely criticized, with many reviewers noting its linearity and short length, making it feel unsatisfactory for the price point of around €30. Players mention that it offers little incentive for multiple playthroughs, lacking features like New Game Plus or alternate modes, which further diminishes its value. Overall, the consensus is that while some may find enjoyment in replaying it, the majority will likely not find enough content to warrant revisiting after the initial experience.
- “I've played a couple of times now, and this was definitely a good purchase, with multiple replay value.”
- “Finally, do keep in mind the game can be beaten in less than 10 hours, and replayability is entirely dependent upon how much you enjoyed the campaign.”
- “Unfortunately, missing NG+ modes or alternate game modes to bring replayability to it, which is another detractor to the price tag.”
- “That being said, the $30.00 price point is a bit high for a 7ish hour game with little to no replayability.”
- “Just don't expect much replay value beyond that first playthrough.”
- “Unfortunately missing NG+ modes or alternate game modes to bring replayability to it, which is another detractor to the price tag.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is criticized as a blatant cash grab, with reviewers noting that it merely updates the original for modern systems while charging a higher price. Many recommend avoiding this remaster in favor of the original, viewing it as a mediocre attempt to capitalize on nostalgia rather than a genuine improvement.
- “The game is a product of its time (and by this I mean it's a generic cash grab tie-in shooter).”
- “Mediocre cash grab.”
- “They do it for a cash grab, simply updating specs to run on current systems and slapping on the label 'remaster' to put on a higher price tag.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional response, with some players feeling disconnected due to uninspired mechanics, while others express nostalgia and warmth for the game's homage to classic films, particularly appreciating the attention to detail that evokes a sense of returning to beloved cinematic moments.
- “It's genuinely heartwarming to see classics like this being preserved and brought back to life.”
- “Every scene feels like a respectful nod to John Carpenter’s masterpiece, and the attention to detail made me feel like I was back in Outpost 31.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often exacerbated by unresponsive squad-mates and repetitive objectives, such as hacking doors and destroying planes. This leads to a frustrating experience, particularly in the latter part of the game where combat shifts to human enemies, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “So damn tedious at times, and your squad-mates will sometimes not actually respond to what you want them to do. For example, the engineer can hack doors, but sometimes you need to dance around the objective or him to get his prompt to appear or work.”
- “Just in case this game wasn't feeling like a third-person shooter, the majority of the second part of the game involves fighting human enemies with guns and completing tedious objectives like blowing up planes. Does this sound appealing at this point?”

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7h Median play time

6h Average play time

5-8h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Thing: Remastered is a shooter game.

The Thing: Remastered is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 6 hours playing The Thing: Remastered.

The Thing: Remastered was released on December 5, 2024.

The Thing: Remastered was developed by Computer Artworks.

The Thing: Remastered has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its music.

The Thing: Remastered is a single player game.

Similar games include The Evil Within, System Shock, Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered, Dead Space and others.

The Thing: Remastered

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