XCOM 2 is free on the Epic Games Store, but the deal ends next week

XCOM 2, widely considered one of the best strategy games on PC, is free for keeps if you download it from the Epic Games Store before the deal ends next week.

In case for whatever reason you're still here and not downloading XCOM 2 free of charge from the Epic Games Store, let me explain why you should do exactly that and then cancel your weekend plans to save the world from aliens. XCOM 2 is a turn-based strategy game where you fight off aliens by out-maneuvering them around various maps. The story takes place after aliens win the fight against humans in the first game (also excellent) and you're tasked with starting from scratch and expelling the bad guys from your planet.

The original XCOM is an undisputed classic, but XCOM 2 has improved visuals, more diverse gameplay thanks to revamped classes and a wider range of foes, and its procedurally generated maps make it highly replayable. Oh, and mod support adds even more to do once you've played and replayed through the game proper. We were among the many publications to give XCOM 2 a perfect, or near-perfect score when it launched back in 2016.

XCOM 2 retails for $60, and although it isn't hard to find on sale if you're happy to wait, it's rarely ever completely free, so I heartedly recommend snagging it before the deal ends on Thursday, April 21.

Once you've played and inevitably fallen in love with XCOM, here are some great games like XCOM to try afterward.