Tindalos Interactive and Focus Home Interactive really want you to be excited about Etherium, an RTS game slated for release sometime this spring. They've released more screenshots showing large scale battles across three different environments, two appearing to be on ice planets, while the third looks like it's happening on an active volcano.

For fans of the genre, there seems like a lot to be excited about. The game is set in space, sometime in the future, amid a gigantic conflict between three empires. What's the conflict about? Control over a precious resource, of course, which in this universe, is known as etherium. The developers are particularly pushing Etherium's dynamic weather system." Use a sandstorm to approach the enemy base unseen, or mount a rearguard attack by crossing a freezing river," they exhort. In addition to the single player campaign, Etherium will feature an online mode, where as many as four players can battle each other.

Any time I hear about a game that features a non-linear play-style, it makes me smile. I love games without limits where you can do what you like without the game holding your hand. I'll be watching the Steam Store for this one.