Gaming Target - Xbox: The Thing

Written by Nick Doukas on August 02, 2002

First Impressions: AliensЕoccasionally you get a nice one, like ETЕbut usually, they just turn out to be some kind of big lizardЕ

Imagine if you will, the frozen wasteland of the Antarctic. Freezing cold, deplorable weather conditions. So bad that to venture out into the elements past dark means almost certain death. Imagine the isolation and paranoia that sets in after months spent in the same facility, with the same people. Now throw a shape-shifting alien into the mix. A crafty being that's been frozen in ice for over 100,000 years. An enemy that can perfectly mimic any entity it samplesЕ.

Howard Hawks' original film version of УThe Thing From Another WorldФ was released in 1951, and a great film it was. I remember seeing it years later on channel 11's УCreature FeatureФ, and being scared out of my wits (hey I was only 6, cut me some slack, ok?!). In 1982, horror master John Carpenter helmed a remake of УThe ThingФ. The film broke new ground in special effects and actually drew many of it's over the top ideas from the original source material; a short story written in the 1930's by John W. Campbell Jr. entitled УWho Goes There?Ф. It was actually special effects guru Rob Bottin who postulated the idea that The Thing had no real form (at least not one that was ever seen on camera) and instead was viewed as a myriad of beings, actually every alien life form it had sampled in it's travels throughout the universe. The film is a masterpiece of suspense (and some seriously bloody and repulsive scenarios, anyone remember the dog pen sequence?) and has since become a cult classic. Developer Computer Artworks has been hard at work on a videogame translation of The Thing, in which you play as Captain Blake, a military officer with a specialty in small arms. Arriving at the research facility seen in the film, US National Science Institute: Station 4 (Outpost 31), three months after the events of the movie, it's up to you to figure out what happenedЕ. lest the same fate befall you and your team.

As players assume the role of Captain Blake, they'll take charge of a squad of highly trained specialists, which includes soldiers, medics and engineers. Players will be able to give basic orders to the other team members, advising them to follow, stay where they are, or perform certain tasks. Medics can heal anyone in the party with the exception of themselves, soldiers will attack and defend, and engineers will be able to fix certain hardware, such as doors and electrical equipment. While you begin the game with these comrades, other characters will show up throughout the adventure to join you in your investigation. This squad based gameplay element should factor into the overall narrative nicely, as you'll need to instruct members of your team to heal each other, open doors or repair other machinery in order to access new areas, or simply restore the lights. In addition, The Thing's play mechanics will include a unique and interesting element: The trust/fear meter. A huge plot point in the film was the possibility that any one of the team members could be a mimic. No one was ever really sure who was still human, and who was the Thing. Throughout the game, you'll need to keep a careful eye on each team member's mental state. This is accomplished by listening to what they say, paying attention to their actions, and by accessing the fear/trust display contained within the games menu system. Team members can become spooked by anything from viewing a mangled corpse, to seeing you react to the alien threat in a lackluster fashion. If a medic or engineer becomes truly terrified by something, they'll react by vomiting, or by losing control of their bladder (where are those Depends when you need them?). If you don't make positive decisions or prove your mettle in combat, team members may begin to disobey your orders and act on their own. In order to counteract the fear effects and regain your squad's confidence, you'll need to perform several different actions. These include administering a shot of adrenaline to a grunt who's flipping out over a mutilated ally, or providing distrustful team members with weapons to display your confidence in them. To progress through the game, you'll need to do whatever is necessary in order to convince your squad to cooperate, and accomplish team-based tasks essential to the success of the mission. You'll also need to seek out and pick up ammo, weapons, items, and evidence scattered about the deserted base.

Visually the game is looking excellent, and features amazing lighting, fire and weather animations. Having seen a recent game demo, I'm pleased to report that the base is beautifully rendered, with clean solid textures and subtle lighting effects. The overall appearance is very militaristic, with concrete and steel making up the majority of the architecture. Environments include living quarters, as well as medical labs and communications arrays. Character models are nicely realized, and their animations appear smooth and realistic. While most of the game is played with a third person view (which includes the ability to run while firing weapons), you can also switch to a first person targeting mode. However, while aiming in first person, your characters movements are restricted to leaning only. Weapons are slated to include pistols, assault rifles and the all-important flamethrower (fans of the film will applaud the inclusion of this weapon. Trust me, it comes in very handy, and you'll be glad to have it.). In all, you'll face 11 multi-objective levels, endure shocking and viscerally stunning horrors, and prevent the intruder organism from assimilating your crew and ultimately, infecting the world population. You'll tackle The Thing in all of its forms, from spider-like mutated head scuttlers, to walkers and full multi-appendage Thing bosses. Subtle sound cues will mimic real Antarctic conditions, and the horrific screeching of the alien will set your teeth on edge. In the immortal words of Clark, the dog handler from the Carpenter film: УI don't know what the hell's in there, but it's weird and pissed off whatever it is!Ф. If Computer Artworks can capture the feel of the film in the finished product, all I have to say is: Good luck. You're going to need it.