As a prequel to Capcom's ice-cracking shooter series, Lost Planet 3 will disintegrate the mysteries that have dogged us since 2006's Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. Why do the snarling inhabitants of planet E.D.N. III insist on flaunting their weakpoints? Why don't astronomical objects stop and ask for directions? How did the condition get so ... extreme?

We'd rather not spoil any of that, so instead we'll show you the game's warm protagonist, his big bipedal rig and the on-foot combat in our new video preview.

Lost Planet 3, developed by Spark Unlimited, is due on August 27 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.