First Bungie Aerospace game arrives next week

Crimson: Steam Pirates, the first indie game to be published under Halo developer Bungie's Aerospace scheme, arrives on iPad on September 1.

Joystiq reports the first eight missions of the game will be completely free, will the next installement, Chapter 2, 'Tales of Captain Blood', will go for $1.99.

The turn-based combat game boasts Bungie.net community features as well as Facebook integration, multiplayer scenarios, more than 20 unique crew members to recruit, and over a dozen vehicles including ships and submarines.

Despite the name, Steam Pirates isn't related to Harebrained Scheme's earlier games, the Crimson Skies series, instead promising a plot chock a block with mystery and adventure on the steampunk high seas. Check out some screens below.

Bungie Aerospace is a program put in place by the developer to help promote worthwhile indie games; you can find out more on its official site.