The Thing video game is what happens when someone takes the paranoia-filled horror of John Carpenter’s classic film and says, “Let’s crank up the trust issues to 11 and throw in some flamethrowers for good measure.” Released in 2002, this survival horror sequel picks up right after the movie’s infamous cliffhanger. You play as Captain Blake, leading a squad of soldiers and scientists who are supposed to figure out what happened at the Antarctic base. Spoiler alert: what happened is bad, and it’s about to get worse. Between gruesome alien transformations and teammates who might spontaneously sprout tentacles, every step feels like a death lottery. Don’t trust anyone—especially not that one guy who’s been suspiciously quiet since you handed him a flamethrower.
What really sets The Thing apart is its “trust/fear” system, which is a fancy way of saying your teammates are just as paranoid as you are. Give them ammo or a medkit, and they might stick around. Accuse them of being an alien, and they might shoot you in the face. Oh, and don’t forget to manage their fear levels, because nothing screams “teamwork” like calming a panicking soldier while aliens are trying to eat your face. The game brilliantly balances moments of tension, horror, and accidental comedy—like when you give someone a blood test, they pass, and then they still try to kill you because they don’t trust you. It’s a stressful, hilarious, and utterly chaotic experience that perfectly captures the spirit of the movie. Just remember: in The Thing, the scariest monster is teamwork gone wrong.
