The Best Sci-Fi Horror Movie Video Game Sequel Teases Revival
Nightdive Studios is a treasure that must be protected at all costs. For evidence, look no further than their recent post on X, where they tantalizingly tease a revival of The Thing video game, the excellent sci-fi horror gaming triumph based on John Carpenter’s 1982 peerless film. Nightdive Studios did wonders reviving titles like Turok 3 and Star Wars: Dark Forces, so gamers are buzzing over their upcoming handling of The Thing.
One Of The Best Movie Tie-Ins Of All Time
Fans remember that The Thing video game was initially released on PS2, Xbox, and PC, though it debuted to an undeservedly small audience. This unexpected remaster is likely music to the ears of both horror movie devotees and gaming aficionados (admittedly, there is a lot of overlap in those two demographics).
Of course, the social media hint purposefully precedes the upcoming IGN Live event, scheduled for June 7-9, aiming to ignite speculation, rumors, and buzz–which it doubtlessly has done.
Nightdive Studios Is An Expert Studio In Preserving Gaming’s Past
To be fair, an official announcement has yet to be made, but the overt, achingly implicit clues strongly imply that, yes, The Thing video game will return with a terrifying, shape-shifting vengeance.
The modern upgrade would constitute another notch in the belt for Nightdive Studios, which has rescued its fair share of retro games, yanking them back from the annals of gaming history by rendering them accessible for brand-spanking new platforms. Like Aspyr, the company is a hero amongst bonafide nerds for digging tirelessly through old publishers’ archives and revitalizing cult classics.
A Sequel To The Movie
When it was initially released in 2002, The Thing game earned mixed reviews. However, evidenced only by the (probable) upcoming revival of The Thing video game, the title gained a significant cult following. One of the reasons, clearly, was that, unlike the lion’s share of movie-to-game adaptations, the game ventured beyond the story of the film rather than rehash it.
The Thing Is A Masterpiece
The game took the bold but respectable step of providing a compelling extension to the poignantly ambiguous ending to the movie. Now the stuff of legends, the final scene of Carpenter’s film features Kurt Russell’s MacReady and Keith David’s Child, fantastic foils for the ages, rendered alone in the dark, Antarctic waste, questioning each other’s humanity—who is The Thing?
Boldly, The Thing video game–like another horror-sci-fi classic game, The Last of Us–took narrative seriously. Enough to add content to this masterful ending.
And let’s not forget the unique mechanics. A winsome blend of third-person shooting and good ol’ survival horror elements results in a chilling and unforgettable experience, a thriller warranting more attention.
John Carpenter’s Best Movie
Ambushing the world in the early 1980s like the shape-shifting alien it depicts, The Thing comprises perhaps Carpenter’s best film (big claim) and remains a towering cinematic achievement and a masterclass in practical effects.
Whether morphing from a man’s chest to a pair of giant jaws or shuddering into a formless, horrifying visage in the infamous blood test scene, the alien at the heat of the movie scares just as ruthlessly today as it did in ’82. While it never received a cinematic sequel, The Thing video game follows up on the movie.
The Thing May Be Here Soon
Ultimately, fans will have to control their exuberance while we wait for Nightdive Studios to formally confirm their revival of The Thing video game. Though the IGN Live event looms, keeping excitement in check will surely be difficult.
