The Best Sandbox Game (Your Opinion)

So guys, I've seen alot of questions posted recently so here is my contribution...

What is the "Best" Sandbox game you've played and where applicable explain why in few words :)

My personal favourite would have to be Garry's Mod.

Enjoy!

Disney Infinity. It literaly is a Sand Box !

I want to say Grand theft auto 5 but the story isn't up to par for me, everything else is spot on.

I'm going to go with Fallout 3.

For me it's between The Saboteur and Just Cause 2.

GTA Online(MP)

Just Cause 2(SP)

Skyrim

can't believe i'm the first one to mention this, not only the best sandbox game but the best game i've played since the snes days, devs could learn a thing or two from studying that one..

@ ShangTsung7

What exactly could they learn ?

Its Big, Boring, Buggy and Reptitive/Redundant.

Can you please not turn this into a stupid argument? State your opinion and stop bashing someone else's. Seems like that's all you do in these boards.

Anyways, mine would be Fallout 3. But Morrowind and Skyrim are right up there.

@ huerito323

That was my oppinion.

Ultima Online.

For me, a sandbox means I can go where I want and do what I want within the context of the game world, and for that reason, Fallout 3 and Skyrim would easily top my list.

They both allow you to be whatever character you want, explore the world at your leisure, and you can choose to do (or not do) any of the quests. Luring hostile wildlife into towns (or towards each other) is always interesting to watch. The crafting and house building was a welcome addition to Skyrim, but I would have liked to see that expanded much further.

On a side note, Terraria is rather fun as well, giving you the freedom to explore, build whatever you like, and craft interesting gear. I certainly prefer it over Minecraft, and can't wait for a full release of Starbound. Everquest Next Landmark also looks appealing to me.

GTA 5

Just Cause 2

i really like Assassin's Creed

lol seriously? i can understand you're perhaps butthurt over our last conversation but for the sake of maturity could you try to maintain some dignity m8? cause now you're just trolling and thats pathetic.

@ ShangTsung7

Your reason for thinking Biosock 2 was inferior to the Original was Multiplayer and length. You were misinformed about everything else from the story to the gameplay.

I suppose I shouldve expected you to think Skyrim was actually a good game. We can talk it out if you want.

thats ok bro.. lol you have your opinion and i have mine so lets just agree to disagree, after all thats what debating on game forums is all about. ;)

@ ShangTsung7

Id rather Debate. Against Skyrim my odds are actually good. If I said President Evil 6 was a Masterpiece would you agree to disagree or go to trial without a good shot of being right ?

@Lulu_Lulu: Lulu get a life.

Stop bashing everything with stupid arguments. Make good ones at least.

Skyrim is also one of the best games I’ve played.

But is it relevant in this topic. NOOOOOO!

IN TERMS OF SANDBOX!!!! WHAT IS THE BEST GAME ????

I also say skyrim.

Not only because it’s so insane and extremely awesome.

But the sandbox element in skyrim is at the finest in gaming.

#dealwithit

AAA game has to be GTA and Fallout. MP its WoW

But it all comes down to what your looking for because in a sense minecraft is also a sandbox and well within the confines of the game mechanics there isent a bigger sandbox than that.

@ ACP_45

That actually says more about your taste in games (or lack there of) than it does about Skyrim's Quality (or any Bethesda game).

I already made my Arguments, Skyrim is: Big, Barren, Buggy and Reptitive, in that order, hell you know what, lets throw in "Bland" aswell. Counter Argument or More Whining ? Your Move.

#HASH.TAGS.ARE.STUPID #TWIT

Also calm down dude. Its just a game.

Wow... Big debates going on... Seems to be a toss up with Just Cause 2 And GTA 5 atm... MORE!!!

At the moment you should consider more specifically the Just Cause 2 Multiplayer which I've recently played and I have to say is just... STUPIDLY good fun. Highly recommended.

I don't class Skyrim as a sandbox game so thats out.

@Lulu_Lulu: LOL so you would hate games like Fallout, Borderlands. ?

Can you tell me why it’s boring and also how it’s barren ?

Do you even know what barren means ?

If you do, then you haven’t played Skyrim.

#yourargumentsarestupid

Are we being snobs and talking about games that allow you to shape the world? Or open world games?

good call... the beta and early launch it was very open ended, almost too much cause you could really do and cause almost any trouble you could think of.... even early then that i'd say Ultima 7, completely open ended and unlimited in what kind of things you could do...

More recent i'd say Skyrim if you play it with mods, the game can be made very interesting.

Saints Row 3, I found this game very easy to mess around in.

Minecraft, this game can suck up hours of your life digging randomly and building stuff out of blocks, anything u can think up almost.

@ ACP_45

I hate both Fallout and Borderlands, but Borderlands is not a bad game. I just hate it, damn loot machine.

I played alil bit of Skyrim. Too many walks/rides where theres not a damn thing worth seeing/doing, just trees and rocks and maybe the odd ruin here and there. Its Mechanicaly Barren, Infact I only used that word specifically because it starts with a 'B'.

and hey fun and boredom is subjective, if you say it aint boring then thats cool, some people get drunk off their asses and watch paint dry for fun. Who am I to say they're wrong ?

Yes... that's what I would like to know? cause I came here with my decision already set as skyrim, but since that's out of the question.

No offence to Hennius, by the way, but I absolutely consider Skyrim a sandbox game, even though you cant create or alter things.

No offence taken. Thinking about it more... it is open to such a wide variety of change due to character customisation as well as MODS! which are always fantastics. In which case i revoke my original comment by saying Skyrim doesn't count as a sandbox.

On a mention of Skyrim... Everyone seems to have ALOT of love for it, good to see.

In which case we should think of Skyrim as a high contender versus GTA 5 and Just Cause 2

Shenmue.

Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag. Tons of content, tons of fun stuff to do (ship battles are a highlight) and very polished.

Star Wars Galaxies before thr lame patch...

For it's day, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Spent so much time with that game.

These days I might go for something like Sleeping Dogs or even Red Faction: Guerrilla. That's not even mentioning Minecraft...

@gbrading: Good shout. Definitely one of the best.

Your the first to mention minecraft... Thought that would be a massive contender but on the other hand i've not heard much talked about minecraft now-a-days.

It's got to be Fallout 3. I reckon a good sandbox game has to have 'stories' you can find around the place. Best example is the transmission from the dad looking for medical help for his son, holed up in a pipe. Anyone who saw that through to the harrowing end knows what I'm talking about.

Come to think of it, that was my problem with New Vegas; everywhere was a part of the story, there was no scope for just wandering off and exploring something new and unrelated.

Would anyone else Destroy All Humans as a sandbox?

Amazing MMO before the NGE, but I would have to say TES:IV Oblivion.

Could be that or Spiderman 2, or Ultimate Spiderman.

Post 33 til someone says Sleeping Dogs. It's the best open world game in which you can't go into every building.

Sleeping Dogs, Far Cry 3, Crysis 1, Crysis 3, Kingdom of Amalur.

Crysis "Sandbox" mode is about the best fun i've had recently... Just re-used it and omg i've never had so much fun with phyx trees and exploding barrels. A good computer breaker.

Seriously though lots of very good suggestions here... I shall draw a conclusion by the end of the day as the answer to this question.

Am I the first one to mention Red Dead Redemption?

RDR is not only a game that offered great freedom but also a game that captured a real sense of open landscape. I will say that it surpassed even Skyrim in that regard, for one single reason. You could journey continuously through the world of RDR without any loading screens. In most games, when you transition into cities or buildings, you will face a loading screen. And here's the beauty of RDR. You could get on your horse, standing high in the mountains of Tall Trees, on the eastern side of the country, and make a continuous travel all the way to the west, to Gaptooth Ridge, for example, step down and walk into the deepest part of some mine. No pauses. No loading screens. All in "one take".

And then, of course, is that sprawling world, the wilderness, the wildlife. I played it without using "fast travel" once, because the experience of "being there", in that majestic landscape, was half of the game for me.

GTA V or Far Cry 3

So...

Firstly thank you all for participating and in conclusion to this topic. The best answer(s) are.................................................

GTA V - - - - - & - - - - - Skyrim

and fallout 3....

*POPS THE FIZZ*

By "sandbox" I tend to lump open world games in there since they are so very similar.

Saints Row 2, 3, 4 = Character customizations, sexy costumes, play as either male or female, Laura Baily does on outstanding job as the female saint leader. I played an beat Saints Row 3 about 7 times with my busy schedule. That about says is all. Volition Studios, the makers of the Saints Row series, know how to do fun much better than the Rockstar/Grand Theft Auto series.

inFAMOUS: I loved the story and the characters. I especially loved Sasha, voiced by Jessica Straus, and the whole "Sasha Experience". The mind control tar and her romantic seduction of Cole along with the aucustics. It was genius. Kessler was a great bad guy too. Sasha and Kessler are the heart and soul of the inFAMOUS franchise even though they weren't in the sequels.

Driver: San Francisco is an unsung hero.

The Mass Effect series. I beat Mass Effect 2 about 6 or 7 times primarily because of Miranda, her beautiful Australian accent and attractive personality (her body was good too). I beat Mass Effect 3 about 4 times. I would play it more if I weren't so busy with other things in my life and other games.

Dragon Age 2: I played about 75% of the way through. I loved the "Loyaly vs Rivalry" consequence deal they had with each of the characters based on dialog options you choose. I loved the RPG powers and classes you could choose from. I loved the fact that you could switch between the four characters during battle. I loved playing as the Mage. I believe the most fun out of this game comes from playing as the Mage and all the power options you have. I got busy with other things and games in my life so I unfortunately didn't finish it, but I really miss the game. I will return to it in the future.

Cheers. Happy Gaming ya'll

Well done! Took long enough for anybody to mention it. How is Minecraft not the epitome of a sand box game? I love Skyrim, but it doesn't hold a candle to Minecraft in terms of "do what you want." Skyrim is still, at its core, game of doing things a developer decided we can do; as well as choosing to do them at all, we just choose the order to do them. Same goes for Assassin's Creed. I think that if one circle is 'sandbox' and another circle is 'open-world' they sort of meet in the middle to create something that is both and neither.

Kerbal Space Program...

Its cetainly the largest sandbox considering it contains a whole solar system :p

I agree with what you said about Saints Row 2 and 3, but I have not played 4 yet, I am waiting for a complete edition with all DLC as I don't like buying things unless they are physical. Although I can't agree with you saying that they do fun better than GTA (I think they are on par with each other now) after the release of GTA V, if you are only talking about GTA IV, then I agree, this trailer sums up my thoughts on Saints Row 2 vs GTA IV nicely (as well as GTA IV vs GTA V if you change some words around.

Mass Effect on the other hand I can not agree with, I have not played Mass Effect 3 (due to Mass Effect 2 being boring and mediocre), but how in any way, shape or form could Mass Effect 2 be possibly considered an open world/sandbox game? that game is as linear as they come, yeah sure, you can pick what poorly designed narrow corridor you can use boring shooting mechanics in, but they are still poorly designed narrow corridors.

As for my opinions, the single best sandbox/open world game is GTA V as it is a combination of the best things from all the games in the series, and it is a gameplay focused game.

Have to say it's a 3 way tie for GTA V, Dragon's Dogma and Skyrim.

@RageQuitter69:

Thank you for your response.

I lumped Mass Effect 2 as a sandbox/open world type game because you have numerous missions and side missions that you can do in any order. It's non-linear. You do have to hunt around everywhere continuously to scavenge for new materials for weapons and armour upgrades. Also, you do some exploring in each world too. At the Citadel and other worlds, you can explore around and talk to new people and you'll get new side misssions and quests will be asked of you.

Yes, Mass Effect 2 does have a lot of drudgery in it. Some of those side quests seems to have been added in just to pad the game play time.

Miranda and having romance with Miranda is what makes the game extra special. I took her on all the missions.

I completed GTA V and all of it's 3.25 endings. The heists were great, the ability to replay missions was great, but most of the missions and stuff in between the heist weren't fun or inspiring, unfortunately.