SEGA and Relic Entertainment just dropped a video of Dawn of War III showcasing a handful of its gorgeous intergalactic locales.

　　Dawn of War III is the third game in the critically acclaimed RTS that pits Space Marines, Orks, and the Eldar against each other in the Warhammer 40k universe.

　　Art Director Matt Kuzminski and Lead Environment Artist Tristan Brett discuss the design process and philosophy they used to create the following game worlds:

　　Cyprus Ultima: Filled with details and history, Cyprus Ultima has a medieval style that expresses the war-ravaged way of life for people in the 41st millenniumCage World: A true alien environment, Cage World’s ever-evolving landscape means the ground can literally shift beneath your feet, so you can never be sure where the battle will take youStarfort: With massive structures towering over each battlefield, the scale of the weaponry on display in this gothic battle station is the ultimate in Imperium technologyAcheron: From first glance, where waves of lava clash against mountains of snow and ice, it’s clear that the elements aren’t all that’s at war on Acheron. Home to nothing but violence, the beautiful glaciers serve as frozen tombs for the battles of the past, and as the stage for some of the largest battles you’ll face in Dawn of War IIIIt's interesting to hear the artists discuss a lot of practical design choices they made so they don't distract players from the action but still manage to make eye-catching places to fight.

　　Dawn of War III is due out later this year on PC. Here's an excerpt from our hands-on impression when we played it at EGX last year:

　　As much as I don’t like to use the term, Dawn of War III is a true AAA title. The detail of the visuals, the audio and the design of the maps and the units, their abilities and more. It really gives you the feeling of a true, huge release, strategy game. Not only that, in what was close to an hour on the game, I found nothing to truly complain about. There are aspects I found strange, but even those I understood. Strategy fans, here’s a game to watch and it’s due sometime next year.