While politicians fret about the ramifications of peak oil, video games are here to show us that it could actually be pretty fun. Engine creator and developer Unigine has released splendid twelve minutes of straight gameplay footage Oil Rush, showing an entire mission from its tower defense-RTS hybrid.

Judging by the trailer, the strategy side of Oil Rush is a little like Eufloria at sea.

Captured facilities constantly produce units up to the cap, which you control more as a broadly-directed swarm than a collection of individual units to order around. The tower defence side lies in building and upgrading defenses for the structures you control. There also appear to be special abilities and a perk tree.

You may ask, "If oil is so scarce, why are they apparently fighting in fuel-guzzling mechanical vehicles?" Because the only way to get oil is to spend oil. That's Economics 101, stupid.

You can get instant access to playable development builds by pre-ordering the downloadable PC edition now for $19.95, which includes Windows, Mac and Linux versions. The full game's slated to launch this fall. A PlayStation Network edition is also in the works.

This particular mission is set in "the flooded jungles of Vietnam," with the objective of destroying a powerful enemy submarine: