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15 Best Sandbox Games of this Generation

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


Sandbox titles have thrived over the past several years, feeding into the desire to explore and reshape the world. Of course, some titles have also offered intricate worlds filled with secrets and various ways to go about enjoying them while others embrace emergent gameplay and the replayability that comes with experimentation.

So let's take a look at 15 of the best sandbox titles of this generation and what makes them special.

The list:

15. Kerbal Space Program
14. Watch Dogs: Legion
13. Fallout 4
12. Factorio
11. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
10. Red Dead Redemption 2
9. Just Cause 3
8. Hitman 2
7. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
6. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
6. Terraria
4. Stardew Valley
3. No Man's Sky
2. Elite Dangerous
1. Minecraft
 
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IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Why is Hitman in this list it's not an open world game imo
Also, why there's is no sign of The Witcher III
Hitman.. is an actual sandbox style game.. where you can approach a situation and are given a sandbox of tools and a variety of ways to complete a mission.

Honestly "open world = sandbox" is what is less accurate of a term.
 
Why is Hitman in this list it's not an open world game imo
Also, why there's is no sign of The Witcher III
tenor.gif
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Ok you're right....but, why is not the witcher.
The list is not a list of the best open world games.. it's a list of games who have "sandbox elements" and is focused on those elements, and ignoring story and everything else about the games.

Witcher 3 doesn't really have sandbox elements..

The first minute or so of the video does explain this, it's even on screen as text lol

This video is great because the creator actually seems to understand what a sandbox game is lol
 
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Birdo

Banned
The list:

15. Kerbal Space Program
14. Watch Dogs: Legion
13. Fallout 4
12. Factorio
11. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
10. Red Dead Redemption 2
9. Just Cause 3
8. Hitman 2
7. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
6. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
5. Terraria
4. Stardew Valley
3. No Man's Sky
2. Elite Dangerous
1. Minecraft
 
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PooBone

Member
Elite Dangerous.... really? I played just a little of that, probably under two hours.... didn't strike me as a "sandbox game."
 

Guilty_AI

Member
Elite Dangerous.... really? I played just a little of that, probably under two hours.... didn't strike me as a "sandbox game."
Totally is though, two hours isn't nearly enough to see the game properly.

Only problem is that this is the type of game that is a hobby in itself, not exactly the kind of casual mindless fun we usually associate with sandboxes
 
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