"The Thing," based on John Carpenter's classic sci-fi horror film, is a step in the right direction for the survival horror genre in many ways, but it never truly lives up to its potential. The game designers could have taken a great leap forward in terms of gameplay and character interaction, but instead they chose a slight hop in favor of more action-oriented gaming. It's a shame, because the best thing about "The Thing" is recruiting allies, all the while keeping an eye on them lest they be Things themselves, even as they're keeping their eyes on you to ensure their own personal safety. These guys get scared, get sick when they stumble into a chamber splashed with gore, and sometimes demand that you prove your loyalty to them at gunpoint. But most of the time you'll just be running around shooting creepy crawlies that are fairly identical to one another, and just aren't very scary. That's not to say, though, that the game is completely devoid of scares - every now and then you can expect to be startled by some unexpected event. It's just that from a game based on "The Thing" property, you expect a little more than you get. Add some bland, if sometimes atmospheric, levels into the mix (they all look pretty similar to one another), and you've got a game that disappoints as much as it excites. I only hope another game (or a sequel) builds upon this unique gameplay concept and therefore makes the ultimate survival horror experience. In the meantime, this should tide you over, if you don't expect too much from it.
Final Score: C
"The Thing," based on John Carpenter's classic sci-fi horror film, is a step in the right direction for the survival horror genre in many ways, but it never truly lives up to its potential. The game designers could have taken a great leap forward in terms of gameplay and character interaction, but instead they chose a slight hop in favor of more action-oriented gaming. It's a shame, because the best thing about "The Thing" is recruiting allies, all the while keeping an eye on them lest they be Things themselves, even as they're keeping their eyes on you to ensure their own personal safety. These guys get scared, get sick when they stumble into a chamber splashed with gore, and sometimes demand that you prove your loyalty to them at gunpoint. But most of the time you'll just be running around shooting creepy crawlies that are fairly identical to one another, and just aren't very scary. That's not to say, though, that the game is completely devoid of scares - every now and then you can expect to be startled by some unexpected event. It's just that from a game based on "The Thing" property, you expect a little more than you get. Add some bland, if sometimes atmospheric, levels into the mix (they all look pretty similar to one another), and you've got a game that disappoints as much as it excites. I only hope another game (or a sequel) builds upon this unique gameplay concept and therefore makes the ultimate survival horror experience. In the meantime, this should tide you over, if you don't expect too much from it. Final Score: C