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Earlier this year BioShock Infinite fans had the wind pulled out of their sails when Irrational Games announced their highly anticipated title would not be making its 2012 release date, and had been pushed back to early 2013. Then came claims that the development team, despite receiving numerous E3 2011 Game of the Year awards, was struggling with a few key elements in the game, a scenario which presumably led to the hiring of Rod Fergusson. Needless to say, things were not sounding good.

However, amidst all of the claims to the contrary, Irrational Games remained resolute in their belief that Infinite was well on its way to completion, and even promised to release a new trailer to reiterate that fact, the very trailer that is featured above.

In the early moments of the trailer we are introduced to the character of Booker DeWitt, our not-so-silent protagonist, who has been hired to find and "rescue" a woman named Elizabeth. Elizabeth is being held captive in the city of Columbia, best described as Rapture in the sky. All the familiar trappings are there: idealistic population, warring factions, and radical advancements in technology — all familiar elements to BioShock fans.

Unfortunately for Booker (but great from a gameplay perspective) the city of Columbia is filled with more than its fair share of obstacles, including a wide variety of powerful enemy types dubbed Heavy Hitters. Among those Heavy Hitters featured in the trailer are the Handyman, the Boys of Silence, and what appears to be a Motorized Patriot. But these Heavy Hitters are mere inconveniences when compared to the Songbird — a mechanical creature whose only goal is to prevent Booker from achieving his.

Beyond a brief story set-up, the trailer also features closer looks at some of the game's major set pieces, locations, and mechanics — many of which are being showcased for the first time. We've already seen how the game's sky hook can be used to zip around Columbia, but couple that with a healthy arsenal of weapons and a few supernatural powers to boot and it becomes clear that Infinite is an evolution of that beloved BioShock formula.

BioShock Infinite Beasts of Columbia Trailer

More than that, though, the scope of Infinite seems grander, and the sense of discovery equally as compelling. Even though a lot of what is shown in the trailer has an air of familiarity about it, we're still excited to spend time in this world.

There are a few previously revealed elements not featured in the trailer, though — namely Elizabeth's time-bending ability. While our guess is that much of those potentially awe-inspiring sequences are being saved for the player to discover this February, it's hard not to wonder if Irrational is still having trouble establishing the game's more supernatural elements.

Nonetheless, as the trailer states, the game is coming. And gamers eager to get their hands on it have several different pre-order options, including an awesome Collector's Edition — which you can read full details about here.

What did you think of the newest trailer for BioShock Infinite?

BioShock Infinite releases February 26, 2013 for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

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Source: Machinima