Set for release in the third quarter of 2006, Codemasters/KDV Games have today announced that the storywriter for their sci-fi strategy title Maelstrom is former Star Trek: Voyager and Doctor Who writer James Swallow.

The events of Maelstrom take place after a forty-year breakdown of society and civilisation brought on by natural disaster, global terrorism, and nuclear holocaust, leaving the remnants of humanity trying to rebuild - but with old divisions still running through the memories of the survivors, a new war emerges.

Carl Johnson, Maelstrom's Game Designer at Codemasters said, "The story in Maelstrom is hugely important; it doesn't just set the tone and atmosphere, but it also ties directly into the game mechanics, to give the player a better understanding of each faction and how they play. The story follows the apocalypse that has befallen Earth and provides the player with a greater understanding of the motivations behind each of the game's three factions, the origins of the technology for each side, and the reasons behind the conflict."

Describing his role in bringing Maelstrom to gamers Swallows said, "I'm excited to be a part of the Maelstrom project...we have a dynamic and compelling plotline, epic scope and strong characters. As the game unfolds, the conflicts between the factions and the characters within them become the flashpoints for player missions, and what begins as a battle to live another day soon becomes a global fight for survival, with the player at the heart of the action."

Maelstrom is set for a PC release in Q3 2006, you can read the first part of the Maelstrom developer diaries here.