by:	April 10, 2004

In the 1982 movie The Thing, Americans at Research Outpost 31 in Antarctica witness two Norwegians chasing a dog with a chopper. The helicopter crashes, allowing the dog to reach the outpost. Unsure of whether the Norwegian camp needs help, two men fly to the Norwegian base to investigate. There, they discover that something has gone on a killing spree. Meanwhile, at Outpost 31, the dog has attacked one of the scientists. When the investigators return, they discover that the cause of all this blood shed is shape shifting alien beings that can disguise themselves as dogs and humans. The researchers soon realize that everyone at the outpost could be a thing in disguise. A blood test is developed to determine whether a person is who they say they are, but even with this reassurance, fear and distrust spread throughout the party. Slowly the researchers are infected and become things, and the party is killed off one by one. Eventually, all the things are dispatched and Outpost 31 is destroyed.

Of course, no one can let an outpost be destroyed without finding out what happened. The video game, The Thing, is set after the destruction of Outpost 31. You play as Captain Blake, the leader of the reconnaissance team sent to investigate the loss of communication. Squads are dispatched around the surrounding outposts to try and track down the cause of all the destruction. But, communication with the chopper is lost, and the teams fall into chaos. As you investigate your surroundings, with the help of your team, you will battle the elements, your fear, your gag reflex, and of course a mess load of things.

The Thing is not your typical survival horror game. Black Label Games worked hard at making this a new experience, not a clone of previous ventures into the genre. How did they do this? They built in a fear and trust system that adds paranoia to the game while keeping it faithful to the premises set up in the movie. Your teammates will suspect that you are a thing, and of course you will have no idea when your squad might bust through their skin and attack you.