Halo: Spartan Assault Announced for Windows 8 and WP8 Devices, Available This July

The long-discussed Halo: Spartan Assault has finally been unveiled, and it’ll be ready to play this July.

Spartan Assault is a spin-off of the Halo series that allows players to take control of SPARTAN-IV Commander Sarah Palmer between the events of Halo 3 and Halo 4. The game will detail her first mission following her acceptance into the SPARTAN-IV program, ultimately leading up to her role in Halo 4.

The game takes place over the course of twenty-five levels, and features numerous Halo familiars, some introduced in the fourth game: customizable weapon loadouts, drivable vehicles, difficulty-modifying skulls, and achievements. The game will feature post-launch downloadable content, and will allow players to progress their Halo 4 career by gaining experience points in Spartan Assault.

In addition to Spartan Assault, 343 Industries and Dark Horse Comics will be releasing a three-part comic series titled Halo: Initiation that details Palmer’s time as an ODST. The series will be released following the release of Spartan Assault.

Halo: Spartan Assault is in development at Vanguard Games in conjunction with 343 Industries, and will be available on Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 devices this July. The game will be sold for $6.99.