Our Picks Of The 13 Best Sandbox Games in 2023

Sandbox games provide players with ample freedom to tackle the game in whatever way they desire. You can roam around in the world of your dreams, build a home for yourself or fight evil monsters on the road; the Sandbox genre provides a lot of action for those who seek it. The games have a very free-form approach to the story and gameplay. 

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With that said, today we will be taking a look at 13 of the best sandbox games available for you to enjoy. The games in this lift cover a variety of themes, from simply roaming around in the world of Minecraft to becoming the best Agent 47 in Hitman; there’s something for everybody! So without further ado, let’s get started! 

1. Just Cause 3

According to what reviews will tell you, Just Cause 3 might not be one of the best games on the market. The story may be lackluster, and the missions may seem dull, but the sandbox aspect is where it shines for fans of the series. The game gives players the freedom to approach the world however they please. 

The ability to drive any vehicle and the freedom to cause mayhem across the city is a sight to behold. Cause massive explosions and go on unstoppable rampages as you fight a war as a one-person army. Not to mention the game’s signature tethering function, which allows for some of the most mobility and fun shenanigans out of any Triple-A title. 

Just Cause is definitely a franchise worth looking out for if the sandbox experience you’re looking for involves explosions and spiderman-like hijinks. 

2. No Man’s Sky

Many players may be surprised to see this game on our list. This is because No Man’s Sky, unfortunately, garnered quite a negative reputation for itself due to its lackluster release. However, the game has one of the most inspirational comeback stories in the modern gaming industry.

No Man’s Sky is an action-adventure survival game developed and published by Hello Games. It is a game about exploring space, visiting undiscovered planets, and having fun with your friends as you travel the galaxies for resources. The game allows you full freedom to explore infinite worlds and make your own adventures. 

Fans of space adventures and exploration should check this game out, as the developers are passionate people who are constantly releasing new content. 

3. Terraria

Terraria is one of the oldest sandbox titles to grace the market. Unlike most other games on this list, it’s a 2D game but don’t let that fool you regarding the amount of content packed into this game. 

The developers and community have spent over a decade slowly but surely developing a game with thousands of hours of content and features. Build, farm, fight, fish, trade, and so much more in this world full of freedom. Invite your friends or cooperate with strangers for even more fun activities to take part in.

Terraria is one of those iconic games that all sandbox veterans know of, and you shouldn’t hesitate to give it a try because it has been surviving the test of time.   

4. Hitman

While this may not seem like a likely pick for an open-world sandbox title, the Hitman games provide players with some of the most interesting settings in gaming. 

Play as a professional assassin in a variety of locations using all the tools in your possession and all of your environment to take out your targets. Use poison, disguises, espionage, or go in guns blazing in some exciting settings. As a hitman, you must put your creativity to use to pull off what the contract demands. 

The game is a must-play for people who are fond of action stealth games that involve creatively solving objectives.  

5. The Witcher 3

The Witcher 3 is considered CD Projekt Red’s masterpiece and is one of the most popular open-world action RPGs to come out of the last decade. The game has a massive world for players to explore as they see fit. 

While the leveling system and story may seem fairly linear, the game offers players a lot of freedom to explore most portions of the world. Some of the best sandbox experiences in the game come from the community mods that add loads of new mechanics and ways to tackle the game. 

If you’re someone who wants an amazing open-world experience, then The Witcher 3 is a must-play both as a sandbox and as an action RPG. 

6. Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is a simulator game that provides a relaxed and peaceful experience for players to enjoy. Its open gameplay style, rewards for achieving goals, and progressive approach to character relationships make it a great choice for a relaxing sandbox game. 

Stardew Valley provides players with open-ended gameplay that lets them slowly make progress toward their goals at their own place. Players are also able to choose these goals from the community center by themselves. This makes the game immensely popular for players who just want to enjoy some peaceful farming. 

So if you’re looking for a relaxing experience to enjoy yourself, try out Stardew Valley and its immersive farming experience. 

7. Fallout 

Bethesda’s beloved nuclear wasteland games have stood the test of time and have received many installments over the years. The Fallout games are first-person RPG games where you must survive the harsh wastelands of a post-nuclear world.

Level your character and specialize into different builds to battle it through the harsh wastelands. Collect resources and fortify your base to protect yourself from the threats of the post-apocalyptic world. Fallout gives players the freedom to approach quests from any angle and is truly one of the best sandbox experiences out there. 

If you’re a fan of survival games with freedom and fun story choices, then the fallout games will feel right at home for you. 

8. Garry’s Mod

Garry’s Mod is one of the oldest games when it comes to modding and player freedom. Garry’s Mod is essentially just a sandbox with no objectives for players to follow. The game provides players with an expansive toolkit and allows them to create their own fun.

Garry’s Mod has a ton of user-generated content and features realistic physics. These features, alongside the deep customization options, make every playing session feel exciting and fresh. You can join the game with your buddies for laughs, which can go on for hundreds of hours due to the sheer number of game modes available. 

Garry’s Mod is a game that honestly can’t be summarized and is something players will have to experience for themselves. What we can say for sure is that it definitely has a bit of something for anyone who decides to play. 

9. GTA V

GTA V is a game that needs no introduction as it is a game that has stood the test of time with an active player base even almost a decade after its release. The game is beloved due to the realistic and immersive nature of the world it puts players into. 

GTA V provides online multiplayer like no other, full of all sorts of fun activities. Heist, fight, race, or have fun with your friends in a world that allows players to set up their own custom competitions. Or, if you prefer the single-player experience, go around Los Santos, taking part in any activity you please. Remember, if it’s not there, there’s a mod for it. 

So, if you enjoy the realism that the GTA games provide, then you’ll love its sandbox experience even more. 

10. The Sims 4

The Sims is what we would call a social sandbox game and provides a unique social experience like no other. The game can be considered a life simulator for your characters, where you have complete control over almost every aspect of their life.

Want to live the life you always dreamed of as a character? Or maybe you want to put someone you hate into the worst possible scenarios. The Sims 4 allows you to socially engineer characters and watch how they react to your actions as a God above them.

The Sims 4 makes for a fun simulator experience and an even more fun multiplayer experience where you socialize with other players. 

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11. Roblox

Roblox is one of the most popular titles out there for kids and teenagers to have some good old-fashioned sandbox fun in. It is an online game creation platform where the only limits are your imagination.

Players have created thousands of absolutely amazing game modes and worlds with unique appeals. Some of them try to recreate beloved titles, and others create something new and unique. If a game or idea exists, you best believe there’s a Roblox game mode for it. 

While it is primarily marketed toward younger audiences, there is no denying the limitless creativity that Roblox provides to both players and creators alike. 

12. Skyrim

Take your role as one of gaming’s most iconic dragon slayers, the Dohvakin, who is here to free Skyrim from the clutches of dragons, underworld Gods, and civil war. Skyrim is Bethesda’s other behemoth franchise and has become a hub of freedom and modding.

While the base game is full of content and provides an amazing sandbox experience on its own, Skyrim has survived for all these years because of the community support that lets you mod in hundreds of different changes. These changes allow you to customize your Skyrim experience to your liking and break the limits of the game itself.

If you are looking for a medieval-era adventure full of fantasy and complex lore, then Skyrim will not disappoint you. It’s a game we can highly recommend to all fans of action RPGs.

13. Minecraft

Finally, we get to our last and possibly most iconic entry in the sandbox genre. The word Minecraft may as well be synonymous with the term sandbox. The game appears like a simple block-based game, but this simplicity allows for freedom and complexity like no other game.

Your Minecraft world is your personal kingdom, where you can completely change anything and everything. If you are a fan of single-player survival, you can opt for the survival mode. If you want to let your creative juices flow, then the sandbox mode is there for you. If you just want to have fun with friends, then hop into a multiplayer server. 

Simply put, Minecraft is a low-requirement game with a large community behind it that can provide a bit of something for everyone. Try it out for the quintessential sandbox experience. 

Final Thoughts

With this, we end our list of the 13 best sandbox games to hop into and have fun easily. Sandbox games are some of the most unique games in the market due to their non-restrictive nature, making it quite easy for players to get very invested in their own personal sandbox empires. If you have any other great games in mind, do let us know.