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It's the movie that helped define an entire genre of video game protagonists, not to mention any Hollywood film featuring tough-as-nails 'space marines.' But for all its influence, the world created in James Cameron's Aliens was one in which fans could only watch the thrill of Xenomorph-slaying, not relive it. Until now.

While the latest story trailer for Aliens: Colonial Marines isn't likely to silence the skeptics, it does prove that the developers at Gearbox Software are crafting the game with a plot and action that fans of the film have been dying for.

With the success of Borderlands 2 under their belts, the team has shifted their focus towards delivering a more directed, story-driven experience. What that means for players is a chance to pick up where Aliens left off, and the new trailer shows just how closely Colonial Marines will be linked with the films. Not surprising, since they turned directly to Ridley Scott for backstory.

Aside from a posthumous appearance from Corporal Dwayne Hicks, the trailer lays out the plot for those who haven't been keeping up to date: a team of Colonial Marines are sent to investigate the USS Sulaco (the ship dispatched alongside Ellen Ripley in Aliens) and the destroyed (more or less) settlement on LV-426. How the ship got there following the opening scenes of Alien 3 is a question we've been asking since the beginning, and as the trailer shows, it may be an important one to the plot.

Aliens Colonial Marines Story Trailer

Gearbox has taken their time and even delayed Colonial Marines, and as often as that may be a sign of troubled development in this industry, they claim it's for all the right reasons. There's no mistaking the fact that this game is being made by fans of the movie series for fans of the movie series (as evidenced by the Collector's Edition) and story trailer shows that some knowledge of the source material will go a long way, and may even help answer questions the campaign will leave unanswered.

Of course, if space marines and aliens isn't something you like to see bogged down with overwhelming fiction, not to fret. Previous looks we've had at Colonial Marines' Escape Mode and slightly more complicated Survivor Mode show potential for keeping players hooked after the weeks following release, which is becoming more and more of a necessity these days. Not that shooting Xenomorphs is ever going to get old.

Are you holding Colonial Marines to a high standard in all aspects of its design and gameplay, or are you likely willing to forgive some issues if the story and connections to the movie series are satisfying? Sound off in the comments.

Aliens: Colonial Marines releases February 12th, 2013, for the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC.

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Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.