Weekly Game Sales: $5 XCOM, $7 Mafia II & Spec Ops, $5 Stronghold RTS

After what seems like an interminable amount of agony and suffering (also known as a work/school week), it is time to grasp at the safe refuge that the weekend offers. To celebrate such a momentous journey and the survival of those of us who made it, and a fond memorial to those who didn’t, let’s grab some games on sale.

Steam has its free weekend which will have major discounts, but -- always interested in saving more – I found additional sales on Square Enix, WB, and other titles. Newegg.com is doing two more massive sales featuring Square Enix and WB Games, so I thought I’d grab some 75%-off deals from Amazon to just overload the wealth of savings this weekend. If these are not enough to satiate the empty void of the soul that begs for games, then check back next week for more.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified ($5): This is the follow-up game to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, which is being featured this weekend by Steam. XCOM Declassified is a tactical third-person shooter following the main character, William Carter, and his squad that can accept tactical orders during player-initiated time slow-downs. It takes place during the Cold War, probably because fedoras rock and they don’t get used enough in modern age. At 75% off right now, this is a great chance to try it out.

Spec Ops: The Line ($7.50): To continue the line of third-person shooters that are 75% off currently, check out Spec Ops: The Line. It also has squad-based tactics, but features a great link to sanity warping affects. It's fun to see a character slowly starting to suffer from a psychotic break -- always an interesting element to observe ever since Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem (the only worthwhile game on the Game Cube… let the arguments commence). Spec Ops: The Line has a story that parallels The Heart of Darkness and, be warned, can make the player feel things by the end. Scary.

Mafia II ($7.50): Yet another third-person shooter, Mafia II follows the exploits of Vito Scaletta. This game manages to actually have a decent story and helps draw the player into the lifestyle of being a rising mob boss. In addition to a partnership with Playboy, Mafia also has one of -- if not the highest -- use of a certain 4-letter word of great versatility. You won't even have to give anyone cement shoes to grab the 75% off.

The Stronghold Collection ($5): The Stronghold Collection combines the first 5 games of the series into one neat package. These games feature economic simulation plus medieval and fantasy combat. Stronghold and Stronghold 2 whet the palate with a European feel, while Crusades have an appealing, Arabic flavor; Legends comes in with that sweet taste of fantasy and traditional RTS mechanics to round things out. These games have had a very loyal following and still have fairly active communities. As with all the other offerings, this comes at 75% off and works out to $1 per game.

Keep glued to our Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube accounts for hardware & software deals as well as build tips and reviews as they happen. Also, post in the comments below or in our forums what games you're enjoying currently.

- Scott "Abibiliboop" Griffin.