The development team behind the excellent Total War RTS series is making the jump to consoles, as Sega announces Stormrise, a console RTS for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Set in a post-apocalyptic future (because pre-apocalyptic is boring), the story of Stormrise revolves around two warring factions, the highly-technical Echelon who survived the apocalypse by hibernating, and the more primitive tribal society of the Sai. The gameplay has you controlling troops from the front line rather than from a lofty position overhead, with the ability to command units not only on the ground, but in the air, across rooftops, and even undeground to achieve their goals.

?The Creative Assembly have proven their general leadership in developing RTS games through the award winning ?Total War? series on PC?, commented Gary Knight, European Marketing Director, SEGA Europe. ?However, Stormrise has been built from the ground up specifically for high def consoles to provide a more intense, frenetic style of game that, coupled with the all new control mechanic, will revolutionize the way RTS games are played.?

This definitely sounds like the type of console RTS I could sink my teeth into. Hit the jump for the second of the two announcement screens.

SEGA ANNOUNCES StormriseTM - A NEW TITLE FROM AWARD WINNING DEVELOPER, THE CREATIVE ASSEMBLY

From the development team that brought you the Total WarTM series comes a groundbreaking console RTS game

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (July 10th, 2008) ? SEGA Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced the development of Stormrise?, an innovative real time strategy console title built specifically for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. Stormrise marks The Creative Assembly?s first foray into developing a purpose built RTS title for console and is slated to ship in 2009.

Stormrise offers fans of the classic RTS genre an immersive and dramatic twist whilst challenging the conscience of the gamer. Experience the heat of the battlefield by leading your troops from the front line, instead of the traditional way of controlling the units from a detached view point. Stormrise also allows units to be commanded in the air, across rooftops, on the earth?s surface and even underground, this unique idea of ?verticality? introduces multiple layers of gameplay that must be mastered for strategic advantage. The experience is heightened by a simple yet effective control system tailored specifically for consoles, which allows easy unit selection, rapid navigation and precise deployment.

?The Creative Assembly have proven their general leadership in developing RTS games through the award winning ?Total War? series on PC?, commented Gary Knight, European Marketing Director, SEGA Europe. ?However, Stormrise has been built from the ground up specifically for high def consoles to provide a more intense, frenetic style of game that, coupled with the all new control mechanic, will revolutionise the way RTS games are played.?

Set on a bleak and barren earth, devastated by a catastrophic event centuries ago, Stormrise sees the Echelon and the Sai battling to survive in a hostile and uninhabitable wasteland. Remnants of a superior technological people the Echelon survived the event through self-educed hibernation, whilst the Sai, a more tribal faction, still exist having learnt to adapt to their surroundings and the new environment. Having evolved in vastly different ways, the differences between the two factions have spurred much animosity and hatred between the two races, and the future of the planet is now hanging by a thread?

Stormrise is in development at The Creative Assembly?s Australia studio and is priming its forces for release in 2009. For more information please visit http://www.sega.com/stormrise