Get ready Angry Birds fans: Firaxis is about to blow your mind. The game developer best known for such titles as the Civilization series and last year's smash-hit XCOM: Enemy Unknown is gearing up to release Haunted Hollow for iPhone and iPad users.

We've seen some screens and can tell you're the game looks rather cutesy, with an aesthetic that evokes Plants vs Zombies. Firaxis Games' new iOS offering will be an asynchronous turn-based game where the objective is to build and cultivate a haunted house, which will then spawn monsters that go out and torment people.

Unfortunately (or maybe not, depending on your inclination), the game will be a free-to-play download, so in-game purchases should be available to buy your way ahead.

The graphics look very cartoonish, but that was probably the intention. Based on the screenshots we've looked at, the following monsters will be available for play: ghosts, werewolves, vampires and swamp monsters. Both online and offline multiplayer is supported. For the offline version, users will presumably pass around their iOS device.

While the gameplay mechanics - turned-based strategy - are nothing if not Firaxis, the family-friendly haunted town backdrop is something of a thematic departure for the company, which typically centers its titles around alien invaders and bloody warfare.

Here's Firaxis' official announcement for Haunted Hollow:

"A competitive, spooky strategy game, Haunted Hollow lets players build and rule a mysterious mansion to spawn freaky monsters and send them into town to go head-to-head with rivals to capture townhouses, battle enemies, avoid angry mobs and seize control! Players of all ages can challenge friends through Game Center and Pass & Play, or play single-player matches." 

"A terrifyingly innovative game, Haunted Hollow is a free-to-play title featuring the addictive and deep gameplay that fans can expect from a Firaxis title. Haunted Hollow can be enjoyed by families, strategy buffs and horror enthusiasts alike."