Today and today only, in honor of last night’s Battlestar Galactica TV season opener, Sierra Online is offering its Battlestar Galactica Xbox Live Arcade game at half the price. That makes it only 400 Microsoft Points ($5)! But remember, you’ve gotta act fast if you want to engage in intense arcade space combat on the cheap. Once the clock strikes midnight, back to full price the game goes.

And in other Battlestar Galactica news, Sierra Online and MyGamerCard.net to host a Season Premiere Play & Win Sweepstakes, putting 24 sweet BG prizes up for grabs to Xbox 360 gamers worldwide. Click here for all the details.

Overview: Set in a distant part of the universe called the Twelve Colonies, players sign up to either defend the Galactica, or play as the ruthless Cylons as they seek to remove the human race from existence. Battlestar Galactica allows players to take part in enormous multiplayer space battles – up to 16 players on PC or 8 on Xbox Live Arcade. Gamers can also play through the intense single-player campaign based on memorable episodes and storylines from the TV series including the riveting first episode of the continuing series, “33,” which finds the fleet in need of protection as it prepares to jump every thirty-three minutes; “Scar,” the season 2 standout that pit the Galactica pilots against a particularly vindictive Cylon Raider; the pivotal “Resurrection Ship,” in which a major asset of the Cylons is discovered and attacked; and the 2007 Emmy Award-winning episode, “Exodus.”

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Features:

– Single-Player Campaign – Pilot various ships and complete 10 missions based on episodes from the TV series including Season One’s “33,” “Bastille Day,” “You Can’t Go Home Again,” “The Hand of God” and “Kobol’s Last Gleaming;” Season Two’s “Resurrection Ship” and “Scar;” and Season Three’s “Exodus.”
– Multiplayer Game Mode – Play online in this relentless space-based action shooter in Domination, Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch modes. (8 players on Xbox Live Arcade and 16 players on Windows PC)
– Legendary Spaceships – Fly 4 Human and 4 Cylon ships from the Viper II to the Cylon Raider, each with unique weapon capabilities.
– Special Weapons – Coordinate attacks with an arsenal of destructive weapons including the missiles, guns and more.
– Defensive Maneuvers – Avoid annihilation with the barrel roll, quick turnabouts and other aerial moves.