Released in 1982, John Carpenter’s The Thing was a masterpiece of horror and paranoia. The story of a team of Arctic explores trapped in a base with a alien that could mimic anyone is a tent pole film for horrors buffs. In 2002, Computer Artworks created a video game that served as a sequel to the movie. The project, blessed by Carpenter, transported players to that same base with a very alive creature. The Thing used NPC’s in a way that had not been used before.
Captain J.F. Blake has been sent with two teams to the American and Norwegian bases in the Artiic. Arriving, Blake and his team find the aftermath of the film as well as a warning about what exactly is up there with them. Blake orders his team to set explosives around the American base and then get out. Blake heads to the Norwegian base to find why the other team has not checked in. He finds that The Thing is alive and well. Blake must fight past the creature, discover who he can trust and prevent the creature from getting to the rest of the world.
In less talented hands, The Thing might have just been a simple horror survival game. The creators must have been fans of the film because they focused on what made the original so scary. The Thing and his parts are terrifying, with the Scuttlers being particular nasty, but they are not the main source of terror. That role is filled by the paranoia that a member of your team might look like themselves, but they are not human. The Thing can be anyone and can only be killed with fire.
This might have been fine, but the developers took it up a notch. You have to prove to your teammates that you are not the Thing as well. Trust is a big part, and each member has a Trust meter you need to keep high. Healing, giving ammo, trust goes up. Shooting a team member accidentally, trust goes down. Members who do not trust you will not do what you tell them and they might attack you. Fear is another important aspect. If a NPC has the high level of fear, they might attack you or kill themselves. The Thing makes you suspect everyone and anyone. The only person who is not the Thing? You.
The Thing was a success and a sequel was even in the works before the company shut down. The amount of tension experienced is off the charts. During a battle, one of your guys gets hit. He could be infected. One hit is all it takes. The game decides randomly if it happened. The game works because the creators focused on what made the movie so memorable. As Mcready said “Nobody. Nobody trusts anybody anymore.”