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.
Our primary consideration while formulating and ranking this list hasn’t been to judge these games as complete experiences, but rather to focus primarily on their sandbox mechanics, and their strengths as sandbox games.
Kerbal Space Program
What happens when you need to not only build your own spaceships and rockets but also fly them, while training a crew of Kerbals in the process? That’s only the beginning of Kerbal Space Program as players embark across the universe, touching down on different planets and creating bases. Or they could remain in space, creating huge stations and locating anomalies. With three different modes, like Science Mode for discovering new technology, and Career Mode for managing your very own space program, Kerbal Space Program has it all.