Maelstrom takes place on a devastated future Earth where, in the wake of an apocalyptic ecological disaster, the planet is threatened by an alien invasion.
In this savaged world, water has become the most valuable of resources and divided the remaining humans into two factions. Now, they must wage war against the invaders and each other in a desperate struggle for supremacy, survival and Earth.
The game's three playable factions are made up of the human race divided the urban freedom fighting 'Remnants' and the technologically advanced 'Ascension', plus the alien race, the Hai-Genti. These are superbly different factions, both in terms of theme and play strategy.