When it comes to playing games irrespective of any device, there are many genres gamers can try out. However, more than most of these games have linear gameplay; there are certain amounts of levels you need to cross to advance and win such games. If such games have become monotonous for you, there’s a chance that the best sandbox games will uplift your mood.

Sandbox gaming is a concept opposite to linear and mechanized games. You don’t have to follow or cross a certain level to advance in these types of games. Players are free to choose the challenges and complete them as and when they deem fit. The concept of sandbox gaming is used in various games across different genres, such as action, strategy, or survival.

Best Sandbox Games To Complete Challenges As You Wish

As mentioned above, sandbox games allow users to enjoy playing and completing challenges on their terms. However, there is confusion regarding the similarities and differences between open-world games and sandbox games.

Open-world games have an open map. You can travel and do many things; there’s no predefined structure for playing these games. On the other hand, sandbox gaming is a broader concept in contrast to open-world games. Of course, you can get an open map in these games as well, but you will also be able to use specific tools and mechanisms while playing.

1. Elite Dangerous

elite dangerous best sandbox games

Developer: Frontier Developments
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $65 for PS4, $38.99 for Xbox One, $29.99 for Steam

If you have a fascination for space, Elite Dangerous will certainly bolt it to the next level. If you search for the quintessential sandbox games, you will likely find this game higher on such lists.

A successor to Frontier: First Encounters, Elite Dangerous, begins in the year 3300, and 45 years after its predecessor. You start with a spaceship and some money, and your primary aim is to acquire more wealth. Galaxy exploration, hunting bounties, assassinations, mining, and trading are some of the vast numbers of activities you will carry out to reach your goals.

The users can be a part of any of these three major factions: The Empire of Achenar, the Galactic Federation, and the Alliance of Independent Systems. Each faction has its strengths and weaknesses, territorial control, and objectives to complete. You can explore around 400 billion star systems, some of which are named after the real ones in the solar system.

The sheer possibility of exploration and the mammoth number of challenges makes Elite dangerous one of the best sandbox games on this list.

What do we love about Elite Dangerous?

  • Ample amount of possibilities for exploration
  • Activities to perform while trying to complete goals
  • Faction-oriented gameplay
  • The scenarios are a consequence of the gamer’s actions

Limitations:

  • Interface is clunky

Get Elite Dangerous for PS4/Xbox One/Steam

2. Assassins Creed Odyssey

assassins creed odyssey sandbox gaming

Developer: Ubisoft Quebec
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam, Stadia
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $29.75 for PS4, $30.75 for Xbox One, $59.99 for Steam

If you are enchanted by the ancient Greek civilization and love studying about their wars, here’s the perfect chance to be a warrior yourself. Assassins Creed Odyssey will leave no stone unturned in making you feel like you are a part of ancient Greece.

This action role-playing game takes you back to the Peloponnesian wars between 431-422 BC. You act as a mercenary working either for Athens or Sparta, the two cities fighting the war. The most exciting aspect of this game is that it has multiple endings that culminate in the various decisions taken while playing.

You can fall in love, commit crimes, and train vigorously to become a skilled warrior. Since this is an open map game, you can travel through various mythical places like Naxos, Lesbos, Pnyx, Macedonia, etc. Meeting personages of real historical characters such as Plato, Democritus, Pythagoras, Sokrates, and many more, enriches the experience of the game.

If you are a history enthusiast, it is nothing short of a crime to miss out on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey! The overall gameplay and the story make it one of the top sandbox games in the genre.

What do we love about Assassin’s Creed Odyssey?

  • Engaging gameplay
  • Personages of real historical characters add a touch of reality
  • Branched outcomes based on the player’s decision-making

Limitations:

  • Slow-paced gameplay can give rise to boredom.

Get Assassins Creed Odyssey for PS4/Xbox One/Steam

3. ARK Survival Evolved

ark survival evolved sandbox games android

Developer: Studio Wildcard
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $48 for PS4, $29.23 for Xbox One, $49.99 for Steam

If you are into mythical creatures and imagine yourselves riding dangerous beasts, ARK Survival Evolved is the best sandbox game to try out. An open-world game at its core, you can play it from either a third-person or first-person perspective.

The ultimate aim of the player is to survive for as long as possible. You need to build a base consisting of fire and different weapons for protection. Other activities such as feeding and taming prehistoric creatures also give an exciting touch to the gaming experience.

There are 176 creatures in the game’s world, called Ark. You can build different kinds of structures. However, you need to unearth the required material for building these structures. A large part of this game is about taming and raising different dinosaurs species for various purposes. Thanks to its exciting games play, ARK Survival Evolved is one of the best sandbox building games.

What do we love about ARK Survival Evolved?

  • The prehistoric creatures are the primary reason for all the fun and excitement in the game.
  • An entire open-world with lots of mythical creatures
  • Overall gameplay

Limitations:

  • Since it is not optimized, there are a few bugs.

Get ARK Survival Evolved for PS4/Xbox One/Steam/Android/iOS

4. Oxygen Not Included

oxygen not included best sandbox game

Developer: Klei Entertainment
Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Macintosh
Mode: Single-player
Price: $24.99 for Steam

Oxygen Not Included is one of the best space sandbox games available in the market. It tests a player’s skills in making strategies to survive in different environments and atmospheres.

Every user is given three duplicants (an endearing, frustrating, tiny clone) that are present in an asteroid. Your job is to create sustainable conditions for them to survive. You have to develop a space colony by directing the duplicants to mine resources, grow food, and do many other activities.

The long-term aim is to create breathable areas and subsequently explore the world to convert areas with vacuum into breathable ones. The world also contains many dangerous diseases; make sure your duplicants don’t get affected by these diseases, lest they risk losing their lives. Oxygen Not Included is also regarded as one of the best multiplayer sandbox games available in the market.

What do we love about Oxygen Not Included?

  • The unique concept of space survival
  • Compels gamers to strategize well to survive long enough.

Limitations:

  • The game concept is hard to understand

Get Oxygen Not Included for Steam

5. ARMA 3

arma 3 best sandbox games

Developer: Bohemia Interactive
Platforms: Windows, Steam, Linux
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $29.99 for Steam

ARMA is yet another sandbox game set in the future, this time in 2030. It is a role-playing strategy game where the player controls Corporal Ben Kerry of the U.S. Army. The primary aim is to subdue the rising CSAT influence of Iran and China and stop the NATO forces’ decline.

The storyline mentioned above is for the single-player campaign. There are two more campaigns called Apex Protocol and Remnants of War in this game. Every decision that a player makes while playing the game will have consequences in the ending.

ARMA 3 has also released many downloadable DLC contents since its release, used for enhancing the gameplay and improving the gaming experience. In all, if you love military wars, here’s the perfect sandbox gaming opportunity for you in the form of ARMA 3.

What do we love about ARMA 3?

  • Exciting military adventures
  • Challenging tasks and missions, coupled with exploring islands
  • Multiple campaigns to explore and enjoy

Limitations:

  • The game has a steep learning curve.

Get ARMA 3 for Steam

6. Just Cause 3

just cause 3 best sandbox games

Developer: Avalanche Studios
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam
Mode: Single-player
Price: $11.02 for PS4, $14.39 for Xbox One, $19.99 for Steam

When talking about the best sandbox games, any list would be incomplete without Just Cause 3. This action and role-playing adventure have everything in store to excite and enthrall you to the core.

Just Cause 3 is set six years after its predecessor, Just Cause 2. You are in control of Rico Rodriguez, the protagonist of the game, who has returned to his homeland of Medici to overthrow a tyrant dictator – General Sebastiano Di Ravello.

The fictional world is divided into five biomes, with each of them boasting different landmarks and landscapes. Players can use various ways of traveling through the world, the grapple hook and parachute being the most famous modes. In addition to that, you have wingsuits, aircraft, planes, ships, and exotic high-end cars for traveling.

Various Challenge Modes require the players to complete challenges, gain points, and unlock new features subsequently. Just Cause 3 cannot be classified as one of the best sandbox games, given that it has a linear storyline. Nonetheless, the different tools it offers in gameplay make it a sandbox game worth trying out.

What do we love about Just Cause 3?

  • An engaging storyline
  • Filled with lots of spectacular action sequences

Limitations:

  • Missions are repetitive and become monotonous after a certain point of time

Get Just Cause 3 for PS4/Xbox One/Steam

7. Surviving Mars

surviving mars sandbox games

Developer: Ubisoft Quebec
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam, macOS, Linux
Mode: Single-player
Price: $33.95 for PS4, $39.98 for Xbox One, $29.99 for Steam

If you love sandbox building games, make sure you don’t miss out on Surviving Mars. This engaging simulation game is all about survival; it takes place on mars and is shaped according to the real martian data.

You have to choose a nation you want to represent; this is ensuring the sponsorship for your mission. With the supplies to build a unique building, you will land on Mars and set up your camp using rovers and drones. These rovers and drones will also help in making your colony fit for inhabitation.

The overall concept of the game is meant to engage players and test their management skills. You will have occasional rockets from the Earth to fill up the required supplies for your survival. Until the next rocket arrives, make sure your colony can sustain based on available supplies. You must also find oxygen and manage food, water, and other necessities.

Players will also find themselves engaging in wars, alien contact, plagues, meteor storms, dust devils, and many other challenges. Won’t it be a real achievement to survive while facing all these challenges?

What do we love about Surviving Mars?

  • Endless real-life challenges to make the gameplay difficult and engaging
  • The easy and understandable game concept
  • Aesthetic design and look of the game

Limitations:

  • Some concepts are difficult to understand

Get Surviving Mars for PS4/Xbox One/Steam

8. No Man’s Sky

no mans sky sandbox gaming

Developer: Hello Games
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $69.65 for PS4, $60.26 for Xbox One, $29.99 for Steam

Exploration, combat, training, and survival; No Man’s Sky is based on these four pillars and guarantees to deliver top-notch excitement when you play this game. It boasts a procedurally generated open-world universe with over 18 quintillion planets to explore.

Each player can have his or her unique ecosystem with unique plants and animals. In this sandbox gaming adventure, you will meet with a host of alien species, and trade goods with them to ensure your survival. You can also work your way around to decode the mystery of Atlas, an entity placed at the center of the galaxy.

You have to control a character called Traveller, who is tasked with the duty of saving Artemis, an alien entity. With scads of challenges in store for the players, No Man’s Sky is regarded as one of the best space sandbox games in the business.

What do we love about No Man’s Sky?

  • An engaging storyline
  • Endless opportunities for exploration

Limitations:

  • The game becomes repetitive and boring at a certain point

Get No Man’s Sky for PS4/Xbox One/Steam

9. Astroneer

astroneer

Developer: System Era Softworks
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $29.99 for PS4, $24.99 for Xbox One, $29.99 for Steam

If you love playing space sandbox games, make sure you give Astroneer a try. It offers everything you would expect of a sandbox game; building colonies, mining resources, creating structures, and massive exploration opportunities.

In a procedurally generated open-world, you are in control of an astronaut known as Astroneer. You can navigate on foot or by using rovers and spacecraft. Regarded as one of the best sandbox games in the space genre, Astroneer has no specific storyline to follow. However, the players will find some exciting and cool challenges waiting in store for them.

If you love decoding mysteries, Astroneer won’t disappoint you on that front. There are many secrets to be discovered and uncovered, only if you care enough to venture in the right direction to find them!

What do we love about Astroneer?

  • Amazing game design and art direction
  • Excellent user experience
  • Endless opportunities for exploration of planets

Limitations:

  • Complicated controls
  • The game can become repetitive at times

Get Astroneer for PS4/Xbox One/Steam

10. Don’t Starve

dont starve

Developer: Klei Entertainment, Blitworks
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam, Linux, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, OS X
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $33.51 for PS4, $51.61 for Xbox One, $9.99 for Steam, $4.99 for Android and iOS

Don’t Starve is a survival game meant to test your resource management skills. The concept of the game is pretty exciting. The game’s protagonist, scientist Wilson finds himself in a dark world with frightening creatures trying to kill him. Your ultimate aim is to make sure that Wilson is properly fed and help him survive against the antagonist, Maxwell.

Regarded as one of the best sandbox games in the survival genre, many other characters can be unlocked in the later stages. The style of playing this game will give users as if they are playing on a console.

There are experience points to be gained by playing well; these experience points will help you unlock the new characters. The game relies on a day and night cycle; nighttime is more dangerous as fearsome beasts and creatures look to devour Wilson. Don’t Starve is also regarded as one of the best Android sandbox games in the survival genre.

What do we love about Don’t Starve?

  • A high level of difficulty that provides great challenges.
  • Unusual and numerous ways for the player to die
  • The concept and gameplay are easy to understand

Limitations:

  • Gamepad controls are less efficient than a keyboard while playing Don’t Starve.

Get Don’t Starve for PS4/Xbox One/Steam/Android/iOS

11. Metro Exodus

metro exodus

Developer: 4A Games
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam, Stadia
Mode: Single-player
Price: $19.99 for PS4, $23.28 for Xbox One, $39.99 for Steam

Let’s put this straight. You will be left spell-bound when you play Metro Exodus. The sheer design and gaming experience this game delivers is second to none. And oh, let’s not forget the engaging storyline that will ensure your screen time stays as long as possible.

It all begins in the year 2035 after the Earth has been annihilated by a nuclear war in Metro: Last Light, the game’s predecessor. The player takes control of Artyom, who travels to the far east on a locomotive called Aurora.

He has to complete many missions; the fate of Artyom depends on all the players’ decisions during the game. He may either die or survive in the end. Metro Exodus has been nominated for many categories and is considered as one of the best sandbox games in the action and adventure genre.

What do we love about Metro Exodus?

  • The storyline and visual design
  • Top-notch gaming experience

Limitations:

  • Sandbox areas are sparse and tough to navigate

Get Metro Exodus for PS4/Xbox One/Steam

12. Fallout 4

fallout 4

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam
Mode: Single-player
Price: $12.74 for PS4, $18.95 for Xbox One, $29.99 for Steam

Yet another game that takes place in the distant future. Fallout 4 is set in 2287, ten years after the events of its predecessor, Fallout 3. The users have to control the protagonist called Sole Survivor. The game’s main aim is to search for Sole Survivor’s kidnapped child in the Commonwealth, the fictional region in the game.

Players have to build bombs and explosives, upgrade armors and weapons, and establish colonies. The game also involves helping certain factions in completing their quests and missions. Doing this enables you to gain experience points that can be used to upgrade the levels of your character.

The game can be switched between different perspectives from first-person to third-person. Some ferocious enemies will level up the difficulty of the game. In all, Fallout 4 is the best sandbox game and won’t disappoint you in terms of excitement.

What do we love about Fallout 4?

  • Excellent character development
  • Complex yet fun-to-experience combat system.

Limitations:

  • The game faces constant glitches.

Get Fallout 4 for PS4/Xbox One/Steam

13. Grand Theft Auto 5

grand theft auto

Developer: Rockstar North
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, Xbox 360. PS3, PS4, Steam
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $28.99 for PS4, $22.85 for Xbox One, $29.99 for Steam, $28.75 for Xbox 360, $17.96 onwards for PS3

The Grand Theft Auto franchise needs no special introduction. It is one of the most and celebrated gaming franchises worldwide. This game is the quintessential example that explains what is a sandbox game all about.

The story is about three protagonists living in the fictional state of San Andreas in southern California. There are three protagonists in the story – bank robber Michael De Santa, drug dealer and arms smuggler Trevor Philipps, and street gangster Franklin Clinton. The trio try to attempt multiple thefts and murders while under pressure from a corrupt government.

As we mentioned earlier, GTA 5 defines sandbox gaming in the best manner. You can drive different types of cars in the game, go wherever you want, and complete various missions as and when you wish. There are also many cheat codes for playing the game, and using them is nothing short of a norm while playing this game.

What do we love about Grand Theft Auto 5?

  • Engaging storyline and gameplay
  • The freedom to move around do whatever you want without having any time constraints
  • Visual design

Limitations:

  • Unintuitive interface

Get GTA 5 for PS4/Xbox One/Steam/Xbox 360/PS3

14. Mount & Blade: War Band

Mount and Blade: War Band

Developer: TaleWorlds Entertainment
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam, macOS, Android, Linux
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $29.99 for PS4, $24.55 for Xbox One, $19.99 for Steam

Medieval times are fascinating, aren’t they? Being a king, handling an army, winning battles, that’s just the stuff of dreams for every guy regardless of his liking for history. Mount & Blade: Warband is one such sandbox gaming adventure that will transport you to the ancient times. It is also regarded as one of the best Android sandbox games in the market.

Set in the fictional medieval land of Calradia, the player has to build settlements, attack towns, hire more soldiers, and try to capture as much land as possible. You are free to roam anywhere on the map but be warned. Once you encounter an enemy, the battle is inevitable.

You can also marry ladies and work for lords, capture a town, and set up your faction. If RPG games have enthralled since times immemorial, here’s a nice treat for you in the form of Mount & Blade: War Band.

What do we love about War Band?

  • open-world and freedom to move as we choose
  • Being a part of actual historical wars in the multiplayer mode
  • Quality gameplay

Limitations:

  • Lacking quality in graphics

Get Mount & Blade: War Band for PS4/Xbox One/Steam/Android

15. Fortnite Creative

fortnite creative

Developer: Epic Games
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam, macOS, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: Free with in-game purchases

Another exciting sandbox gaming adventure that needs no special introduction is Fortnite Creative. If you love building different types of structures, Fortnite Creative is just the game for you!

Fortnite Creative is a part of the video game Fortnite. Make sure you don’t confuse it with the battle-royale mode of Fortnite, which falls in the action and adventure genre. It involves handling different types of objects and building structures using them. It is one of the best sandbox games in terms of creating and maintaining structures.

Each player owns four islands at the start of the game. The ultimate aim is to build as many buildings as possible. The gameplay is very much similar in comparison to that of Minecraft. It helps you develop mini-games and maps that can further be used in the battle royale mode. Isn’t it one of the best free sandbox games available out there?

What do we love about Fortnite Creative?

  • Players can create different types of buildings and solidify their imaginations.
  • Easy user-interface

Limitations:

  • Difficult to understand for a newbie

Get Fortnite Creative

16. Factorio

factoria best sandbox games

Developer: Wube Software
Platforms: Windows, Steam, macOS
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price:$30 for Steam

Factorio is one of the latest sandbox games to hit the gaming market this year. A construction and management simulation game by nature, it features an engineer who accidentally lands on an alien planet.

The players’ primary aim is to help the engineer build adequate resources required to survive on the planet. You have to locate resources that will further help you in building new and advanced materials. The processes such as transportation, mining, and assembly of products can be automated as the game progresses.

Be warned, though. Factorio isn’t just about building stuff. You must also be ready to defend your factory from Biters, Spitters, and Worms attacks, who will try to thwart your progress. In all, it is one of the decent and best sandbox games in the market at the moment.

What do we love about Factorio?

  • Players can create different types of constructions and solidify their imaginations
  • Designed to test your engineering skills

Limitations:

  •  The game can be repetitive at times

Get Factorio for Steam

17. Garry’s Mod

garrys mod best sandbox games

Developer: Facepunch Studios
Platforms: Windows, Steam, macOS X, Linux
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $9.99 for Steam

Garry’s Mod is one of the oldest games on this list; its release dates back to 2006. Regarded as one of the best examples of the sandbox genre, Garry’s Mod has no set objectives or aims to achieve.

All you have to do is interact with different types of characters, ragdolls, and props. You have to use a physics gun to pick up the latter two, rotate, or freeze them. You can create anything that you want in this game, be it a car, a rocket, or any other structure.

Since there are no set objectives, you can play the game in any manner you want. The only limit or hurdle you will face in this game is your imagination.

What do we love about Garry’s Mod?

  • Challenges your buds of creativity
  • Players are free to play and do things as they wish

Limitations:

  • There are constant crashes and glitches

Get Garry’s Mod for Steam

18. Saints Row 4

saints row 4 sandbox gaming

Developer: Volition
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, Steam, Linux
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $14.99 for Steam, $24.95 for Xbox 360, $23.93 for PS3

Another action-adventure genre game that executes the sandbox gaming concept extremely well. Saints Row 4 will manage to enchant you if you love action more than anything else while playing games.

You are the leader of 3rd Street Saints, a street gang that has turned into one of the world’s most powerful organizations. The primary aim is to thwart an alien invasion after you have become the President of the United States.

Since it’s a sandbox game, players can complete missions as they wish while roaming around in the game map. You will be embroiled in action most of the time, and you can also use superpowers to destroy your enemies. The perfect sandbox gaming adventure, don’t you think?

What do we love about Saints Row 4?

  • The freedom to complete missions as and when we wish
  • Over-the-top humor
  • Excellent visual design and graphics

Limitations:

  • Voice repetition

Get Saints Row 4 for Steam/Xbox 360/PS3

19. Conan Exiles

conan exiles best sandbox game

Developer: Funcom
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $39.99 for Steam, $20.99 for Xbox One, $24.49 for PS4

Get ready for time travel that will enthrall you to the core! In Conan Exiles, it’s all about surviving the fictional yet prehistoric Hyborian Age. You can follow religions, interact with different races, and fend off real as well as mythical beasts like rhinoceros, hyenas, crocodiles, dragons, and dinosaurs.

It all starts with you being rescued by Conan after you are crucified and sentenced to death for various criminal charges. Once saved, you and Conan must travel to the Exiled Lands for survival. You can choose to go to other biomes, such as the Frozen North or The Highlands.

With successful combat, you can earn experience points that will help you develop more skills and unlock various kinds of weapons. Hands down, it is one of the best sandbox games in the business designed to never disappoint.

What do we love about Conan Exiles?

  • Excellent graphics and visual design
  • Immersive storyline and backdrop
  • Good character development

Limitations:

  • Performance issues related to lag and speed

Get Conan Exiles for Steam/PS4/Xbox One

20. Hitman 2

hitman 2 android sandbox games android

Developer: IO Interactive
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One, PS4, Steam
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $39.99 for Steam, $23.94 for Xbox One, $19.99 for PS4

The Hitman franchise has received universal acclaim in the action-adventure gaming genre. Hitman 2 is the seventh installment in the series designed to leave the user lost for words with its amazing graphics, immersive gameplay, and an engaging storyline across eight missions.

All the missions take place at different locations worldwide. You can use a number of exciting gadgets and weapons to complete the missions. Hitman 2 also brings back the trademark briefcase that helps you hide larger weapons.

Regarded as one of the best sandbox games in the action genre, Hitman 2 has the ability to keep you glued to your screen for hours.

What do we love about Hitman 2?

  • Eight missions present various challenges across worldwide locations
  • The gameplay is smooth and immersive
  • Overall, Hitman 2 is an addictive game and a boon for hardcore action gamers.

Limitations:

  • The multiplayer mode has issues with gameplay

Get Hitman 2 for Steam/PS4/Xbox One

21. Minecraft

minecraft best android sandbox games

Developer: Mojang Studios
Platforms: Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $6.99 for Android and iOS

Minecraft is, to put it out simply, the definition of sandbox gaming. One of the top sandbox games, it involves building multiple structures in a procedurally generated 3D world. Players have to extract various materials, build structures, and fight computer-controlled mobs to protect them.

You can also lock horns or work alongside other players in Minecraft. Game modification is also one of the striking features of this game; players can create new gameplay mechanics, items, and tools. The gameplay is initially in a first-person perspective, but you can also play using the third-person perspective.

If you want to experience what a typical sandbox game feels like, there’s no better option than Minecraft.

What do we love about Minecraft?

  • Players can build various structures
  • Excellent multiplayer gameplay

Limitations:

  • Servers aren’t powerful enough for multiplayer gaming

Get Minecraft for Android and iOS

22. Kerbal Space Program

kerbal space program

Developer: Squad
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Steam
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $39.99 for Steam

Kerbal Space Program is one of the best space sandbox games to play if you want to know how a space center works. This game won’t teach you everything about a space center, but it will give you a good idea about the basics.

The players control Kerbals – a species of tiny green humanoids, who are known for building complex spacecraft parts. They will help you build different types of aircraft, spaceplanes, rockets, and other space vehicles. These vehicles must be launched from the KSC(Kerbal Space Center), and your main aim is to navigate these objects properly to avoid crashes and failure.

Ensure you also keep an eye on the fuel when you enter the different orbits and celestial bodies in space. There are various challenges to complete and game modes to play. In all, this game will undoubtedly prove to be a good activity for your leisure time.

What do we love about Kerbal Space Program?

  • You can learn a lot about physics and space centers
  • Getting engaged with a community while learning the various aspects of the game

Limitations:

  • The game experiences lag and bugs very often

Get Kerbal Space Program for Steam/PS4/Xbox One

23. L.A. Noire

l a noire

Developer: Team Bond
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Steam
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $25.65 onwards for PS4, $18.50 onwards for Xbox One, $19.99 for Steam

Solving mysteries is one of the best thrills worth experiencing, isn’t it? Apparently, L.A. Noire knows that too well. Regarded as one of the fun sandbox games, you will have to be at your belligerent best while solving the mysteries this game has to offer.

What’s most intriguing is the backdrop and the storyline of the game. LAPD detective Cole Phelps, the character you are in charge of, has to solve a range of cases across five Los Angeles divisions. With a host of twists and turns along the way, Phelps is also devastated when his personal life comes crashing down.

Players have to search for clues that will help them to solve the mysteries. Track down the leads, interrogate suspects, and investigate the crime scenes for clues and developments. If you love mysteries, L.A. Noire is one of the best sandbox games that definitely won’t fail you.

What do we love about L.A. Noire?

  • Investigations are addictive
  • Intriguing and engaging storyline
  • Comprehensive and easy to understand

Limitations:

  • Experiences lag occasionally

Get L.A. Noire for Steam/PS4/Xbox One

24. Kingdom Come

kingdom come

Developer: Warhorse Studios
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Steam
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $24.64 for PS4, $33.50 for Xbox One, $19.99 for Steam

Kingdom Come is of the top sandbox games in the action and adventure genre. It takes you in the prehistoric times to the Kingdom of Bohemia in the Roman Empire. The timeline of the story is set in a Bohemian war in 1403.

Players control a character called Henry, who is a survivor of a massacre committed by King Sigismund’s men. He joins Lord Radzig Kobyla to avenge the killings and his murdered family, while also aiming to reinstate Sisgmnund’s half-brother Wenceslaus IV to the throne.

There are branching quests; the decisions taken in these steps will affect the ending of the game. You can fight the enemies with fifteenth-century weapons, combat techniques, and also wear clothes from medieval times. In all, Kingdom Come is one of the best sandbox games in terms of an engaging experience.

What do we love about Kingdom Come?

  • The historical backdrop of the game ensures an immersive gaming experience
  • Branched quests to add to the excitement

Limitations:

  • The game experiences lag very often

Get L.A. Noire for Steam/PS4/Xbox One

25. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

metal gear solid v

Developer: Kojima Productions
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Steam, PS3, Xbox 360
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
Price: $21.45 for PS4, $16.50 for Xbox One, $19.99 for Steam, $24.99 for Xbox 360

Metal Gear Solid V is one of the best sandbox games in the action and adventure genre. It guarantees top-notch excitement and fun and happens to be an excellent option to spend your leisure time.

The timeline is set in 1984 after the events of the game’s predecessor Ground Zeroes. Players have to control Venom Snake, a mercenary whose aim is to avenge his forces’ killing. The story takes place in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan, where Venom tries to complete his mission.

Since he ventures into a high-risk area, he has to be extremely careful about avoiding enemy guards. You have a variety of items, such as maps, explosives, binoculars, cardboard boxes, and decoys. Jeeps and tanks are available for travel throughout the map.

Players can select any missions they like and are free to complete it as and when they wish. The typical sandbox gaming nature of Metal Gear Solid V is what makes it a game worth trying out.

What do we love about Metal Game Gear Solid V?

  • The storyline is emotionally powerful and engaging
  • Graphics and visual design are excellent

Limitations:

  • Various lagging issues while

Get Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain for Steam/PS4/Xbox One/Xbox 360

26. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios, Iron Galaxy
Platforms: Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Steam, PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch
Mode: Single-player
Price: $29.99 for PS4, $38.48 for Xbox One, $39.99 for Steam, $9.09 for Xbox 360, $24.95 for PS3

An engaging storyline, jaw-dropping graphics, and visual design, and immersive gameplay; that sums up The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim pretty well. When you play this game, you will hardly find a drawback.

Set 200 years after Oblivion’s events, you play as Dragonborn, the protagonist of the game. Your ultimate aim is to stop Alduin, the Earth Eater, a dragon who has been prophesied to destroy the entire world. The events take place in the Skyrim region of Tamriel.

There are endless amounts of quests that raise the excitement bars, not to mention the constant duels and combats with many evil factions and enemies apart from Alduin, the Earth Eater. Players can navigate throughout the open-world by walking or by riding horses.

While the main quest can be ignored as per the player’s wishes, some challenges need to be completed in time to take the storyline forward. If that doesn’t make the best sandbox games list, what will?

What do we love about Skyrim?

  • Graphics and visual design are par excellence
  • Number of challenges and combats with enemies apart from the main mission
  • Highly addictive game

Limitations:

  • It doesn’t have a multiplayer mode

Get The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for Steam/PS4/Xbox One/Xbox 360/PS3

Conclusion

Many gamers might not know about the concept of sandbox gaming, even if they have played a sandbox game. A sandbox game has no linear storyline to play along and allows players to complete targets as per their wish. The fact that it offers various tools and items for this cause makes it different from the traditional open-world game. To put it in simpler terms, every open-world game can be a sandbox game, but every sandbox game cannot be an open-world game.

In this list of best sandbox games, we have tried to cover games across all genres that use the sandbox approach. There’s no specific way to determine which game is the best, given the variety of genres and the requirements of the players. We hope this list will help you find the best sandbox game that suits your needs!

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