Gaming has come a long way from the humble days of Pac-Man and Pong. We are living in the golden age of gaming. Consoles are more powerful than ever before. VR technology has finally emerged. And there are so many different genres of game to choose from. Everything from triple-A shooters to massive role playing games. No matter what your gaming preference, you will be able to find a game that will meet it.
One genre that has really come into its own as technology has improved is the sandbox game. Players love the ability to do whatever they like, whenever they like. And no genre typifies this more than the sandbox. Sandbox games give players the freedom to approach the core gameplay loop in any way they want. And there are lots of different takes on the genre. Today we have compiled a list of the 6 best sandbox games you have to check out.
No Man’s Sky
One of the most controversial games of the last decade. No Man’s Sky took the world by storm during its marketing period. Promising players an endless procedurally generated universe with life size planets, fantastical worlds to explore, endless space faring adventures, and the ability to play with your friends.
When it launched it had hardly any of that. But over the years the developers have gained back the trust of the community with regular updates and the game is now one of the greatest sandbox games on the market. We highly recommend you check it out.
Minecraft
The most popular game on the planet. Minecraft is one of the best sandbox games on the market. Allowing players to play in creative mode or the much more challenging survival mode. You are only limited by your imagination. The Minecraft multiplayer scene is one of the most active in the gaming world. With thousands of survival multiplayer servers on offer. It can be quite daunting to find a good server but you can compare Minecraft SMP servers on this website to find the one best suited to your needs.
Red Dead Redemption 2
If you want to simulate the life of a cowboy, collecting bounties, smoking cigars, getting in shootouts. Then Red Dead Redemption is the game for you. While it does have a story, the game is essentially a giant cowboy sandbox game. You have total freedom to go wherever you want in the wild west. You can be an honorable cowboy, helping out the locals and fighting off criminals. Or you can be a ruthless killer, robbing people on the highways and murdering those who get in your way. Plus the game is packed full of side missions and content to sink your teeth into. Be warned though, this game is so good it’s addictive. Once you start playing chances are you won’t want to stop.
Blockland
If you liked Minecraft but wanted it to be much more like Lego, then Blockland is the game for you. It is the lego game we never got. Simply put you build things out of Lego-like bricks. But with that comes endless possibilities. And the community has made thousands of different game modes and maps to play on. It still has quite an active player base even after all these years. And it is relatively cheap to grab on steam.
Terraria
When Terraria was released a lot of people said it was a rip-off of Minecraft. Those people had clearly never played Terraria. The 2D side-scrolling sandbox game shares a lot of similar elements to Minecraft like a crafting and mining system. But the game is so much more. It is more akin to a sandbox RPG than a survival game. It has a lot of bosses, monsters, dungeons, loot, and so much more to be found. And the game still receives regular updates of a massive scale. The 2D aspect of the game does take some getting used to. But once you have you’re guaranteed to have a good time.
Garry’s Mod
We couldn’t talk about sandbox games without mentioning the king of the genre. Garry’s mod is the epitome of what a sandbox should be. It is less of a game and more of a playground for modders and creatives to let loose their imagination. Players can do everything from build complex robots to creating entire game modes. And because of the community driven nature of the game, there is always something new to be downloaded and played around with. Not to mention it’s home to some of the best game modes out there like Trouble in Terrorist Town. Garry’s Mod is still fairly cheap on steam and goes on sale regularly so if you don’t already own it, we highly recommend you give it a go.
