Sandbox 2008 — top best games in the Sandbox genre

Action, Third-person view, Futurism (Future), Sandbox, Post-apocalyptic, Cooperative (co-op)

November 7, 2006

Players: 7.7/10

Metacritic: 91/100

Gears of War is an action game with a third-person view in a fantastic post-apocalyptic setting. The game's plot revolves around Delta Force soldiers defending...

Crysis

Action, Shooter, First-person view, Futurism (Future), Sandbox

November 13, 2007

Players: 8.3/10

Metacritic: 84/100

Set in 2020, this futuristic first-person shooter follows a standoff between the United States and North Korea in the South China Sea. After North Korean forces...

Neverwinter Nights 2

Role-playing game, Top-down view, Fantasy / Medieval, Sandbox

October 31, 2006

Players: 9.5/10

Metacritic: 82/100

Neverwinter Nights 2 is the long-awaited continuation of the popular role-playing game in a fantasy setting, created according to the rules of Dungeons & Dragons in...

Spore

Role-playing game, Simulation, Action, Strategy, In real time, Business / Management, Third-person view, Top-down view, Futurism (Future), Sandbox, God Simulator, Open world

September 4, 2008

Players: 8.8/10

Steam: 92/100

Metacritic: 84/100

This evolution and civilization simulation follows a species from a single cell to spacefaring exploration. Progression spans five stages—Cell, Creature, Tribe...

Saints Row 2

Action, Shooter, Third-person view, Open world, Sandbox

October 14, 2008

Players: 7.7/10

Steam: 75/100

Metacritic: 78/100

Saints Row 2 is a third-person gangster action game set in a large open world. The story takes place in the fictional town of Stillwater. The main character escapes...

World in Conflict

Strategy, In real time, Third-person view, Sandbox

September 18, 2007

Players: 9/10

Metacritic: 89/100

A real-time strategy game about the Soviet army advancing into Western Europe in 1989 and a diversionary attack on American soil. The player takes the role of a...

Unreal Tournament 3

Action, Shooter, First-person view, Futurism (Future), Sandbox, Online

November 19, 2007

Players: 8.4/10

Steam: 85/100

Metacritic: 84/100

A futuristic first-person shooter built around arena battles against other players online or computer-controlled opponents. Combat combines a range of weapons and...

Crash Time 2

Action, Racing, First-person view, Third-person view, Exploration, Sandbox

November 27, 2008

Players: 7.6/10

Steam: 63/100

Crash Time 2 is a continuation of the exciting racing simulator, where you have to get used to the role of a traffic policeman. The game has many different goals...

LittleBigPlanet

Action, Platformer, Third-person view, Puzzle, Sandbox

October 27, 2008

Players: 9.3/10

Metacritic: 91/100

LittleBigPlanet — Players can control a fully customizable Sackperson (often known as Sackboy). This Sackperson is controlled using the left analog stick...

Duke Nukem 3D (1996)

Action, Shooter, First-person view, Futurism (Future), Sandbox

January 29, 1996

Players: 8.5/10

Metacritic: 81/100

This first-person science-fiction shooter follows Duke as he fights a deadly alien invasion of futuristic Los Angeles. Its 28 levels span city streets, an orbiting...

Sins of a Solar Empire

Strategy, In real time, Third-person view, Isometric, Futurism (Future), Sandbox

February 4, 2008

Players: 9.6/10

Steam: 92/100

Metacritic: 87/100

Sins of a Solar Empire — There is no plot as such. There is only a premise presented in the initial video. It's different in every expansion. The player's...

Braid

Action, Strategy, Platformer, Third-person view, Puzzle, Sandbox, Indie

August 6, 2008

Players: 8.6/10

Steam: 90/100

Metacritic: 92/100

Braid is a 2D puzzle-platformer with painterly visuals. Setting out from a house in the city, the protagonist travels through a series of worlds to rescue an...

Spore Creatures

Simulation, Third-person view, Futurism (Future), Sandbox, Strategy

September 7, 2008

Players: 4.3/10

Metacritic: 65/100

This sandbox simulation centers on creating and evolving life while shaping a personal universe. Players customize creatures, vehicles, buildings, and UFOs...

Aquaria

Action, Shooter, Third-person view, Puzzle, Sandbox, Metroidvania, Indie, Exploration

December 7, 2007

Players: 9.9/10

Steam: 90/100

Metacritic: 83/100

Aquaria is a metroidvania set in a vast underwater world filled with living creatures and ancient secrets. Naija, a solitary ocean dweller, searches for her family...

Heroes of Might and Magic 5: Tribes of the East

Role-playing game, Strategy, DLC, Isometric, Fantasy / Medieval, Turn-based, Sandbox, Online

October 10, 2007

Players: 9.6/10

Steam: 90/100

Metacritic: 70/100

An expansion for Heroes of Might and Magic 5, this turn-based fantasy strategy game follows the struggle over the world of Ashan. Players explore the land, capture...

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Gold!

Simulation, Strategy, In real time, Business / Management, First-person view, Third-person view, Collection, Sandbox

October 25, 2005

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 Gold! is a first-person simulator with strategy, business simulator and sandbox elements from the studio Frontier Developments Ltd.. The game...

Sacrifice

Role-playing game, Strategy, In real time, Top-down view, Fantasy / Medieval, Sandbox, Third-person view

November 24, 2000

Players: 9.5/10

Steam: 83/100

Metacritic: 89/100

This fantasy real-time strategy game focuses on combat rather than resource gathering. Mana and souls are the two resources used to summon units; capturing enemy...

X3: Terran Conflict

Simulation, Action, Flight Simulator, Business / Management, First-person view, Third-person view, Futurism (Future), Space, Sandbox

October 16, 2008

Players: 7.8/10

Steam: 83/100

Metacritic: 73/100

X3: Terran Conflict is a continuation of the global management strategy in a sci-fi setting. The events of the game take place back in 2938, where the greatest...

Drawn to Life

Action, Platformer, Third-person view, Sandbox

September 10, 2007

Metacritic: 73/100

A platformer with sandbox elements in which the player’s drawings become part of the game world. Using a stylus, the hero rebuilds a small village by drawing...

Magic Pen

Strategy, Third-person view, Puzzle, Sandbox

April 2008

Magic Pen is a third-person strategy game with puzzle and sandbox elements. The main publisher of the game is BubbleBox.com. For some reason the game has not yet...

Heroes of Might and Magic 5: Hammers of Fate

Role-playing game, Strategy, DLC, Isometric, Fantasy / Medieval, Turn-based, Sandbox

November 14, 2006

Players: 9.9/10

Steam: 85/100

Metacritic: 66/100

Heroes of Might and Magic 5: Hammers of Fate — clans of dwarves living north of the Griffin Empire. Dwarves are strong warriors with increased defense. In...

Shift 2

Action, Platformer, Third-person view, Puzzle, Sandbox

April 12, 2008

Shift 2 is a third-person action game with platformer, puzzle and sandbox elements from the developers from the studio Armor Games Inc.. The game is published by...

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (2008)

Action, Flight Simulator, Platformer, Third-person view, Helicopters, Puzzle, Sports game, Sandbox

November 11, 2008

Players: 10/10

Metacritic: 79/100

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts — It's been 8 years since Banjo-Tooie. Since then, only a skull has remained of the old witch Gruntilda, the main antagonist, and...

LocoRoco 2 (2008)

Arcade, Action, Strategy, Platformer, Music game, Third-person view, Puzzle, Sandbox

November 27, 2008

Metacritic: 82/100

This arcade platformer follows the LocoRoco as they try to save their planet from the returning Moja, whose song drains the life from living things. The LocoRoco...

ArmA: Armed Assault

Simulation, Shooter, First-person view, Sandbox, Open world, Action, Strategy

November 10, 2006

Players: 9.5/10

Steam: 68/100

Metacritic: 74/100

This first-person tactical military shooter with simulation elements takes place on the island of Sahrani, where large-scale conflicts unfold alongside...

Freeciv

Strategy, Business / Management, Isometric, Top-down view, Sandbox

January 5, 1996

Players: 9.6/10

A turn-based strategy game about guiding a civilization from a tribal settlement in 4000 BC through the centuries and toward space colonization. The player founds...

Guitar Hero: World Tour

Simulation, Action, Music game, Third-person view, Sandbox

October 26, 2008

Players: 10/10

Metacritic: 85/100

A music game about performing rock songs combines guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. Players can choose a single instrument or play as part of a band, while the...

Space Colony

Simulation, Strategy, In real time, Isometric, Futurism (Future), City Building, Sandbox

September 26, 2003

Players: 5.8/10

Steam: 78/100

Metacritic: 74/100

Space Colony is a management simulator with real-time strategy elements and an isometric camera view from the creators of the Stronghold series. You will take on...

Boom Blox

Action, Strategy, Third-person view, Puzzle, Sandbox

May 6, 2008

Metacritic: 85/100

This action puzzle game challenges players to knock down block structures across themed worlds. Boom Blox was the first game developed in collaboration between...

TrackMania United Forever

Racing, DLC, First-person view, Third-person view, Puzzle, Sports game, Sandbox

April 16, 2008

Players: 10/10

Steam: 95/100

TrackMania United Forever is a first-person race with a mixture of puzzle, sports game and sandbox from the masters from the Nadeo SAS studio. The game is published...

Unreal Tournament 2004: Editor's Choice Edition

Action, Shooter, First-person view, Futurism (Future), Sandbox, Online, Science fiction

September 21, 2004

Players: 8.7/10

Steam: 96/100

Unreal Tournament 2004: Editor's Choice Edition is a complete edition of a competitive first-person shooter in a sci-fi setting. In addition to the original Unreal...

Spirits of Metropolis

Strategy, Puzzle, Sandbox, Indie, Casual game

December 22, 2008

Steam: 66/100

Spirits of Metropolis is a strategy with puzzle and sandbox elements from developers from the studio Vertigo Games. The main publisher of the game is Vertigo...

Spore Creature Creator

Simulation, Third-person view, Sandbox, Strategy

June 17, 2008

Players: 7.7/10

Metacritic: 83/100

A creature editor for Spore, it lets players design original species by shaping and painting them. The demo includes 25% of the creature-making parts from the full...

UFO: Alien Invasion

Strategy, Isometric, Futurism (Future), Turn-based, Sandbox

November 15, 2006

UFO: Alien Invasion is an isometric strategy game with sandbox...

X-Plane 9

Simulation, Flight Simulator, First-person view, Sandbox

June 6, 2008

Players: 6.6/10

X-Plane 9 — this is one of the most detailed simulators of air technology, from helicopters to dozens of aircraft, be it a small glider or a huge airbus...

City Life

Simulation, Business / Management, First-person view, Third-person view, Sandbox

April 14, 2006

Players: 6.5/10

Metacritic: 76/100

City Life — there are 6 socio-cultural groups. Being in a certain “stratum” directly depends on a resident’s income and lifestyle. Thus, the Intelligentsia...

Crimson Fields

Strategy, Third-person view, Top-down view, Futurism (Future), Turn-based, Sandbox

March 1, 2001

Crimson Fields is a third-person strategy game with sandbox...

Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition

Action, Platformer, Puzzle, Sandbox

September 15, 2008

Metacritic: 68/100

This action-platformer with puzzles is set in the world of SpongeBob SquarePants, where players progress through levels and face DoodleBob. Players can draw an...

Postal 2: Share the Pain

Action, Shooter, DLC, First-person view, Sandbox

December 17, 2003

Players: 9.3/10

Metacritic: 59/100

An expansion for Postal 2, combining the POSTAL 2 single-player game with the Share The Pain multiplayer mode. The game takes place in open 3D environments where...

Super Smash Bros.: Brawl

Action, Fighting, Third-person view, Sandbox

January 31, 2008

Players: 9.8/10

Metacritic: 93/100

A fighting game in the Super Smash Bros. series, featuring playable characters from several game franchises. The roster includes Meta Knight, Kirby’s sword-wielding...

Sandbox

Best Games in the Sandbox genre of 2008