Sandbox 2008 — top best games in the Sandbox genre

Gears of War - a game in the Sandbox genre

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

Game released: PC, Xbox 360 → 12 December 2008

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...

World in Conflict

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

Game released: PC → 4 December 2008

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...

Crysis

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

Game released: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 → 17 September 2008

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

Game released: Mac, PC → 28 June 2008

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...

Braid

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

Game released: PC, PlayStation 3, Mac, Xbox 360, Linux → 15 February 2011

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...

Saints Row 2

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

Game released: PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360, Linux → 28 November 2008

Players: 7.9/10

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...

Crash Time 2

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

Game released: PC, Xbox 360 → 27 August 2009

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...

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

Game released: Mac, PC → 3 June 2009

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...

Heroes of Might and Magic 5: Tribes of the East

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

Game released: PC → 10 October 2008

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...

Unreal Tournament 3

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

Game released: PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360 → 18 September 2008

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...

ArmA: Armed Assault

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

Game released: PC → 11 July 2008

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...

LittleBigPlanet

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

Game released: PlayStation 3, PSP → 30 October 2009

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...

Sins of a Solar Empire

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

Game released: PC → 26 June 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...

Spore Creatures

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

Game released: Nintendo DS → 7 September 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...

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009

Third-person view, Sports game, Sandbox, Wrestling

Game released: Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360 → 14 November 2008

Metacritic: 74/100

This wrestling sports game focuses on WWE matches and tag-team bouts. In tag-team gameplay, players build momentum and attributes, perform double-team attacks and...

X3: Terran Conflict

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

Game released: Mac, PC, Linux → 17 November 2009

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...

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (2008)

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

Game released: Xbox 360 → 11 November 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...

Duke Nukem 3D (1996)

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

Game released: Android, DOS, PC, iPad, iPhone, PlayStation, SEGA Saturn, Xbox 360, Nintendo 64 → 1 November 2011

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...

Chrome

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

Game released: PC → 1 April 2008

Players: 6.7/10

Metacritic: 69/100

Chrome is a dynamic first-person shooter in a sci-fi setting. The game takes place in the distant future on colonized planets. You will take on the role of Bolt...

Crimson Fields

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

Game released: Dreamcast, Linux, Mac, Palm OS, Symbian, PC, Windows Mobile → 13 August 2009

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

Tom Clancy's EndWar (2008)

Strategy, Isometric, Top-down view, Futurism (Future), Turn-based, Sandbox, Tactics

Game released: Nintendo DS, PSP, PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360 → 4 November 2008

Steam: 81/100

Metacritic: 72/100

Set during a futuristic World War III, this military strategy game puts the player in command of an army fighting for one of three factions: the U.S.-led Joint...

Aquaria

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

Game released: iPad, Mac, PC, iOS → 2 November 2011

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...

Unreal Tournament 2004: Editor's Choice Edition

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

Game released: PC → 17 March 2008

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...

Heroes of Might and Magic 5: Hammers of Fate

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

Game released: PC → 10 October 2008

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...

Pro Cycling Manager: Season 2007

Simulation, In real time, Business / Management, Third-person view, Sports game, Sandbox, Bicycles

Game released: PC → 23 May 2008

Pro Cycling Manager: Season 2007 — As a team manager, you can influence the strategy of the team and individual players, buy equipment, train your riders and...

Fallen Lords: Condemnation

Action, Strategy, Third-person view, Fantasy / Medieval, Sandbox

Game released: PC → 3 June 2008

Players: 8.3/10

Fallen Lords: Condemnation — The game begins with the main character dying and facing a choice of which otherworldly group to join. You can support angels or...

Space Colony

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

Game released: Mac, PC, Android → 22 June 2004

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...

A-TrainHX

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

Game released: Xbox 360 → 7 March 2008

A-TrainHX is a first-person simulator with elements of strategy, business simulator, sandbox and railway simulator from the developers of Artdink Corporation...

Shift 2

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

Game released: Browser, iPhone, Mac, Windows Phone → 12 April 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...

SuperPower 2

Strategy, Warships / Submarines, In real time, Business / Management, Helicopters, Sandbox, Tanks, Simulation, Grand strategy

Game released: PC → 29 July 2008

Players: 7.7/10

Steam: 78/100

Metacritic: 51/100

SuperPower 2 is a global real-time strategy with elements of a management simulator. In the game, you will control entire countries in three main aspects...

TrackMania Nations Forever

Racing, First-person view, Third-person view, Sports game, Sandbox, Free game, Online

Game released: PC → 30 April 2008

Players: 10/10

Steam: 91/100

This racing game is set in a stadium environment and lets players tackle tracks solo or compete online. TrackMania Nations Forever features 65 new tracks with...

Guitar Hero: World Tour

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

Game released: Mac, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, Xbox 360 → July 2009

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...

Shift 3

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

Game released: Browser → July 2008

Shift 3 is a third-person action game with a mixture of platformer, puzzle and sandbox from the studio Armor Games Inc.. The game is published by Armor Games Inc...

X-Plane 9

Simulation, Flight Simulator, First-person view, Sandbox

Game released: Linux, Mac, PC → 6 June 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...

Spore Creature Creator

Simulation, Third-person view, Sandbox, Strategy

Game released: Mac, PC → 18 June 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...

Jam with the Band

Simulation, Music game, Sandbox

Game released: Nintendo DS → 21 May 2010

Jam with the Band is a simulator with elements of a music game and sandbox from the developers of the Nintendo SDD studio. The game is published by Nintendo. Jam...

Meat Boy

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

Game released: Browser, PC → 5 October 2008

Meat Boy is a third-person arcade game with a mixture of action, platforming and...

TrackMania DS

Racing, First-person view, Third-person view, Puzzle, Sandbox

Game released: Nintendo DS → 17 March 2009

Metacritic: 75/100

Arcade racing in TrackMania DS focuses on high-speed runs and stunt-filled courses rather than realistic driving simulation. Players race along tracks featuring...

City Life

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

Game released: PC → 19 March 2008

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...

Freeciv

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

Game released: Acorn 32-bit, Amiga, Linux, Mac, PC → June 2003

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...

Sandbox

Best Games in the Sandbox genre of 2008 (Game released)