Can you believe we’ve already survived a week of Steam sales? This weekend will prove to be the home stretch so don’t exhaust your wallet just yet! Here’s a look at today’s newest deals…

“Buy” means simply that this is a very good price for the game. Still, “buy” isn’t necessarily giving any particular game my seal of approval either. It’s just a price that seems fair for those interested in the given title. “Wait” means I suggest waiting for another sale. The price very likely is the lowest it will be during Summer Sale 2014, but it is estimated to be cheaper in sales weeks and months down the road. Of course, if you can’t wait then go ahead and buy!

• Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag – $19.99 – At this time, Assassin’s Creed IV probably isn’t worth it unless you’re a massive fan of the series. As with III before it (currently $4.99), the price will decline to a much meatier discount in the future. Oh, also they’ve both got Uplay. Wait. 
• Banished – $9.99 – So far this is the best discount available via Steam or GOG. It’s also impossible to go off other games from the developer’s catalog since Banished is their first! Check it out if you’re so inclined but most of us can hope for 75% off. Wait. 
• Dishonored – $4.99 – Here’s a game that didn’t take off quite as well as Bethesda had hoped. With that said, those of us who don’t buy triple A titles immediately may now find this a fair price to pay. Buy. 
• Europa Universalis IV – $9.99 – Do I expect Europa Universalis IV to go cheaper anytime soon? Unfortunately, no, though it would be lovely to see it priced closer to $5 instead. In any case this is likely the best price available for a while. Buy.
• Left 4 Dead 2 – $4.99 – The Left 4 Dead series is one of my favorite multiplayer shooters of all time. If you don’t have either, I suggest nabbing the bundle which includes both games for $7.49. Buy.
• Resident Evil 4 – $11.99 – At the time it came out, I felt that Resident Evil 4 was an astonishingly modern Resident Evil game. Of course, it was the start of a new take for the series. At 40% off I strongly believe it will get discounted later for 50%-75% if you’ve got the patience to wait for future deals. Wait. 
• Sid Meier’s Civilization V – $7.49 – So, normally this would be a great deal if not for a few things. One, GameFly’s digital storefront sold it for $5.99 last year. Then there was a Game of the Year voting poll which gave all participants a game for free (one of the choices was Civilization V).  Wait. 
• Total War: ROME II – $20.37 – Yes, this is the best sale price so far from either Steam or an authorized key reseller. However, it’s hard to say buy when the price is still so high. Eventually it will have to dig deeper, especially around the eventual launch of a third game. Wait. 
• Train Simulator 2014 – $8.24 – Train Simulator 2014 was available with a smattering of DLC in a past Groupees bundle. They are one of the best up and coming bundle groups out there so keen an eye out. As far as Steam is concerned though, it probably won’t dip lower than 85% off. Wait. 

If you’ve been following all these recommendation posts of mine I have one more suggestion for you. You Need a Budget 4 is a great piece of software and actually worth buying at the current Flash Sale price of $14.99. Those who already have a handle on budgeting can skip it, but people like me who adore bundle and discount purchases need to be careful of their spending. You Need a Budget 4 is incredibly user-friendly and offers almost all the features I want without having to whip up a spreadsheet myself. The only issue is a lack of way to input interest calculations without actually connecting the program to your bank (which seems iffy to me).

Today I crafted a Wizorb badge.