First look: Lost Planet 3

Capcom's ice cool action adventure series returns to PS3 to send a shiver down your spine.

It's not the cold that will kill you in Lost Planet 3. Its icy embrace is dangerous and all-encompassing, although it's only one of the life-threatening perils that await you in this stunning PlayStation 3 sequel. And the more you explore, the more you'll discover that sub-zero temperatures are the least of your worries...

Cold dawn

"When you think of Lost Planet, you think of cold, desolate climates, and this is one of the core principles of Lost Planet 3," says the series' creator and director, Kenji Oguro. "We also want to focus on character - and what it takes to survive a harsh, hostile environment."

Your introduction to this deadly wasteland is Jim, an Everyman taking up a job that may never allow him to see the wife and baby son he's desperately earning money for. Taking place before the original Lost Planet, Jim may feel he's just a cog in the corporate machine, working to make a frozen planet hospitable, yet he's a pioneer for events to come. Which means he - and you - are about to make some frightening discoveries.

Those familiar with the series will be happy - or terrified - to know that the alien race known as the Akrid are present in all their fearsome glory. So far only a handful of them have been revealed, although their mixture of insect-like appearance and wolf pack mentality already create a memorable and intimidating impression.

Surviving with a smile

At this early stage, Lost Planet 3 blends an intoxicating mixture of tense survival horror with adrenaline-pumping action. The sci-fi frights of movies such as Aliens can be felt beating against the heart of an action adventure that subtly references the style of Capcom stablemate Resident Evil and, more obviously, previous Lost Planet titles.

Jim is a charismatic lead in this horrific world, injecting a strong personality into the series and making his battle against the fearsome Akrid an emotional experience. He complains about his physical ailments and replays touching messages from his beloved wife and son, never failing to crack smiles and jokes in-between fighting for his life.

Which isn't to say that Lost Planet's original guts and guns philosophy will be lost in this character driven story. Jim is capable of wielding grappling hooks, rifles, knives, shotguns and other weapons in his duties, as well as a giant robot-like rig. Making full use of this mechanical monstrosity is key to surviving, as Lost Planet 3 is full of massive beasts which require you take part in battles of Godzilla-like proportions. Some of the larger Akrids can only be defeated by creative use of the rig, blocking and punching with its colossal claw arms and drills. It makes for spectacular combat in the luscious, detailed and atmospheric environments.

Lost and found

While Jim is surrounded by frost, Capcom has made sure Lost Planet 3's beauty isn't forgotten about. Lens flares catch your eye, arctic cracks emerge on the rig's front windscreen and electric blue storms brew on the horizon. Meanwhile, corridors are dank and intimidating, with snarls and growls echoing through the metallic hallways.

It's an incredible introduction which looks to capture your imagination even if you're not familiar with the Lost Planet games. In fact, if you make this your first entry to the series, then you'll be experiencing a pure example of what Lost Planet is all about. "Lost Planet 3 is the closest I've come to the original vision of the game since the start," smiles Oguro.

Due for a 2013 launch, Lost Planet 3 still has plenty of surprises in store, including a multiplayer mode. Keep reading playstation.co.nz and PlayStation.Blog for more news before the cold snap.

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