Lost Planet 2 landing May 18, to have Gears of War character skins

As part of a flurry of announcements stemming from a Tokyo press event, Capcom has finally dated Lost Planet 2. The sci-fi action sequel will launch on May 18 in North America and Europe on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and will be rated T for Teen in the US and Canada. The announcement made no mention of a PC version of the game.

First released as a timed exclusive for the Xbox 360 in 2007, the original Lost Planet: Extreme Condition was a huge hit, eventually selling more than 2.3 million copies including the later PS3 and PC versions. It followed a rogue snow pirate fighting an evil megacorporation and battling arachnid-like monsters on the frozen world of EDN III.

Lost Planet 2 is set 10 years later, after EDN III underwent substantial terraforming that replaced the frigid tundra with large swaths of lush forests. Its campaign will follow the protagonist and three non-player characters through six chapters, each of which will have multiple outcomes that hinge on players' actions.

Gameplay-wise, Lost Planet will have an extensive multiplayer component, including four-player co-op during the main campaign. Like the original, it will also emphasize boss battles, with Capcom declaring opponents will be larger and more destructive than those in the original game. To battle them and other foes, players will once again be able to use a variety of flying and armored vital suits, as well as new guns and other items.

[UPDATE] Along with the date announcement, Capcom revealed that some iconic characters from a major game franchise will be making cameos in Lost Planet 2. In a trailer that appeared on Xbox Live last night (see below), Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago from the Gears of War games offer backup to two members of Lost Planet 2's four-person squad.

When asked if Gears of War characters will be included from the outset or be part of a DLC pack, Capcom would only give the following statement: "Capcom has collaborated with the Gears of War team to create customizable skins for Lost Planet 2." Also, given the Gears games' Xbox 360 exclusivity, don't expect Dom and Marcus to appear in the PS3 version of Lost Planet 2.