I learned about this game a couple of years ago when online forums started hyping it up as one of the better PS2-era licensed games, primarily because of its then-unique “trust” system. Having your party members respond with skepticism to certain choices you make or having a panic attack after too much time in a gore-filled room was a nifty innovation back in 2002, even if its impact was minimal. Naturally, here comes a remaster to make some money off of this newfound online interest.

The Thing is a straightforward third-person shooter with few frills (really just the trust system). Fans of the films may be disappointed the game avoids horror almost entirely, as you follow your generic protagonist from one snowy Antarctic base to another, shooting aliens and picking up new team members along the way. Combat is simple due to a generous automatic targeting system, although you’ll frequently have to take down your own allies as they become infected after mild contact with enemies. Nothing in the gameplay or presentation is noteworthy, but it all functions well enough to make The Thing an enjoyable straightforward action game. The trust system, while intriguing at first, ultimately makes little impact outside of occasionally needing to give someone a gun so they’ll join your team or giving an ally adrenaline to get over a panic attack. I never questioned whether my allies would turn on me nor did I wonder if they were already aliens; as long as they still shot at enemies, I’d take their help until they started to turn themselves.

So who is this remaster for? Fans of the films will get the most out of the thin story and those looking for a cookie-cutter mindless action game from this era can expect a fun enough time. Those intrigued by the online discourse alone need not prioritize picking this remaster up, as it doesn’t live up to its online hype.