System Shock remakers Nightdive Studios are remastering The Thing

Computer Artworks’ 2002 video game adaptation of the 1982 movie The Thing was a chilling and immersive third-person shooter with innovative mechanics that added to the suspense, with a focus on the theme of flesh. One intriguing aspect was the ability to recruit surviving soldiers as squadmates, raising the question of whether they were truly who they appeared to be or disguised entities waiting to reveal their true form. Players had a limited number of blood tests to determine the identity of rescued individuals, adding to the tension as trust and fear dynamics played a role in the game.

Although players could find ways to exploit the paranoia-inducing mechanics, such as deducing infection probabilities and taking preemptive actions, a potential remake could explore and enhance these systems. While Nightdive Studios is not currently working on a remake like their previous projects, a remaster of The Thing has been announced, set for release later this year. Despite this, the prospect of experiencing The Thing in a remastered form is still exciting for fans.

Watch on YouTube

During the Summer Game Festivities, the remaster was unveiled, showcasing various visual enhancements while retaining the early 2000s aesthetic. Here’s an excerpt from the announcement release to give a glimpse of what to expect:

The Thing: Remastered is a faithful restoration of the cult-classic 2002 third-person survival horror shooter game inspired by Universal Pictures and filmmaker John Carpenter’s genre-defining 1982 film, The Thing. Nightdive Studios has upgraded this horrifying classic for the modern era through its proprietary KEX Engine for play on current-generation gaming devices up to a 4K resolution at 120FPS. Improvements to character models, textures, and animations have been hand-crafted by Nightdive Studios, with the implementation of advanced 3D rendering for updated lighting and atmospheric effects–for a suspenseful and disgustingly detailed remaster that reanimates the thrilling game for modern audiences.

Nightdive Studios has a track record of successfully revitalizing classic titles using their KEX Engine, including Dark Forces, Doom 64, Quake II, and the enhanced edition of System Shock. For more details on their recent projects and their acquisition by Atari, readers can refer to Rick Lane’s interview with the studio heads.

The summer games events are in full swing! Stay updated with our Summer Game Fest 2024 hub and Day Of The Devs roundup for all the noteworthy news from the ongoing shows.