Microsoft Studios has announced that Halo: Spartan Assault will be making its way exclusively to the Windows 8 platform, offering up new top-down action for PC, tablets and Windows 8 Phones. The title will be set between Halo 3 and 4, with an expected release date this July and an "estimated price" of $6.99.

Set between the events of Halo 3 and Halo 4, Halo: Spartan Assault is a new chapter of the award-winning Halo universe that explores the first missions of the Spartan Ops program and dives deeper into the backstory of Human-Covenant wars. Play through the eyes of either Commander Sarah Palmer or Spartan Davis stationed aboard the UNSC Infinity as they fight never-before-seen battles against Covenant forces.

With rich storytelling, intuitive controls, and best-in-class action, audio and graphics, Halo: Spartan Assault brings the epic scale and action of the Halo universe to mobile devices through unrivaled action and intensity.

As with other twin-stick shooters, Halo: Spartan Assault offers both the ability to move around and shoot in a 360 degree area. The game still retains driveable vehicles like its previous main titles, but also includes established weapons and iconic enemies. What is different is the camera and controls, which now offer a top-down perspective and the ability to utilise a touch-based interface.

As with any mobile title in this day and age, Halo: Spartan Assault offers in-app purchases with the ability to "grind to earn upgrades or speed up your training by purchasing credits for boosts, unique weapons or armor abilities." It isn't clear how much these in-app purchases will be, but for those wanting to quickly bypass the grind the system is in place to do so. Spatar Assault also offers Halo 4 integration with the ability to "experience points, all-new Achievements, and unlock emblems for your Halo 4 Spartan career, with additional integration features available after launch."

For more on Halo: Spartan Assault check out the new trailer below which gives a good look at the gameplay in action, and also have a browse of our game page for more including a large batch of in-game screenshots.