A Free World: Civilization V (For A Little While)

Crush the weak, spare the weekend! Sid Meier and Some Other Peoples' Civilization V is open to all-comers for a bit, from now until some point on Sunday (1PM PDT, whatever that means in real time), making it the perfect time to give its hexy new style a shot. If you like it, you can buy the full game for 75% off, and have plenty of time to get used to it before the imminent Gods and Kings expansion hits. What megalomaniacal goodness does that contain?

Obviously, the big addition is Religion. You'll be able to pick a real one, from Christianity, Islam and Judaism to Zoroastrianism and Confucianism, or create your own from scratch if you want One Nation Under The Flying Spaghetti Monster. On the secular side, spies are another tool in your bag of dirty tricks, with the power to shake-up the late-game. Unlike most units, they're not built but unlocked individually, improving the more you make use of them.

Along with this, there are new scenarios to play through, including the Fall of Rome and a new steampunky adventure, extra civilisations including the Celts and Byzantines, new Wonders, a more advanced naval combat system for all your belly-button related conquest needs, and an improved AI. It's due out on June 19th, and you'll find all the details right here.