Summary
As years go by, the boundaries between game genres become blurred. Traditional RPG games addsurvivalaspects,base buildingand crafting, while survival games come with a main plotline and quests. It is no longer simple to differentiate between certain game genres, due to this cross-polinization of gameplay features.
Defining what a sandbox RPG is, it is possible to say that the game will involve a form of character progression, at least some sort of main story or plot, and a large open world to interact with. Some will have survival mechanics, while others will focus more on side quests or gearing up. And this is what makes the sandbox RPG genre so compelling, as no two games are particularly similar.
Kenshiwas released in 2018, and dubs itself a real-time strategy actionrole-playing game, providing a good example of how genres are slowly merging together. With its graphics likened to some of the great titles to come out of Japan and great top-down view of the gameplay,Kenshiis both simple to learn, but deep enough to keep players coming back for more.
When it comes to sandbox gameplay,Kenshidoes things old school. There are no quests in this game, and the player is left to shape their own experiences. Don’t be put off by this, as the way the player interacts with almost everything in the game world is what givesKenshiits charm. There is no need for quests when every step you take has the chance of leading to a random adventure.
Released in 2011,Minecrafthas become the single most successful game ever released, and there is a reason for this. It has a very shallow learning curve, which hides some real depth and long-term replayability.Minecraftis played by both children and adults, and you get out what you put into this game.
Sandbox gameplay often revolves aroundresource harvestingand building. Although there is a pretty basic progression system in place, it can be optionally disabled. WhereMinecraftreally shines, is the inclusion of an inbuilt coding system that players can leverage to bring their world and creations to life.
The 2022 Game of the Year launched to major acclaim and overwhelmingly positive reviews, with the only negativity over the initial game was the fact it was hard. It could be argued that this is actually a positive though, providing players with a suitable long-term challenge, rather than a game they can master over a weekend.
The huge sandbox map requires a real investment in time to explore properly. This is a game that rewards suchexploration, and encourages players to interact with the landscape, which can often uncover activities and challenges.
IsValheima survival game? An RPG? A building game? The answer is that it is all three. However, it must be said that player progression, aside from skill training, is limited to unlocking each tier of resources. Released in 2021,Valheimwas an overnight hit, vastly outperforming the expectations of Iron Gate Studio, the developer.
Sandbox gameplay revolves around searching for and gathering resources, as well as progressing through a series of boss encounters, which act as unlocks to each tier of the resource tree. Simply exploring inValheimis fun, and the feeling of discovering a new, mist-cloaked shoreline, having spent 20 minutes being thrown around in rough seas, is very rewarding.
A Cult Classic
Dwarf Fortress
In this complex construction/management/roguelike simulation, every generated world brings a unique challenge, whether it’s dwarves with their own simulated personalities or aquifers. Observe what makes your civilization fall into eventual decline, and learn for next time… until something else inevitably goes wrong.The combat model includes skills, body parts, material properties, aimed attacks, wrestling, pain, nausea, various poison effects, and much more.It’s difficult to convey the depth of the generation. Hundreds of animals and monsters, many of which are randomly created for each world, as well as generated poetry, musical forms, instruments, and dances for your dwarves to practice and perform. A dynamic weather model tracks wind, humidity, and air masses to create fronts, clouds, storms, and blizzards. Over two hundred rock and mineral types can appear, in their proper geological environments.Remember: Losing is fun!Nothing substantial is new or changed, under the hood. It’s still good old Dwarf Fortress, but with graphics support and music by default. A few bells and whistles won’t change that.
This game was initially released in 2006 as a playable alpha and has since progressed through a number of design iterations, and become a game with a cult following. The game uses simple2D graphicsto generate the game world, throwing back to early 80s gaming in many ways, but with some real depth and complexity.
Sandbox maps are generated procedurally, with resources intelligently placed in suitable locations. But as you can probably imagine, the map is also populated with threats, some of which are very tough to overcome. Building is also a large part ofDwarf Fortressgameplay, as is controlling and micromanaging workers and helpers.
Released in 2018 to overwhelmingly positive acclaim,Red Dead Redemption 2is a great example of a game that breaches multiple genres. At face value, it is an action role-playing game set in theWild West. Players who simply follow the impressive main story arc can enjoy the game in this way and never step off the beaten path.
But whereRed Dead Redemption 2comes into its own is when players do step off the beaten path and explore the incredible game world that Rockstar Games has created. There are so many sandbox activities to enjoy, that it is not uncommon for players to put the main story arc on hold for hundreds of hours while they enjoy exploring the map.
Baldur’s Gate 3was one of the most eagerly awaited, and also most successful game launches of 2023, which can boast earning the moniker of Game of the Year. It’s arguably the most successful game based on theDungeons & Dragonstabletop game ever. On the surface, the game revolves around the player and their team of NPC companions exploring a large open world map whilst progressing through the storyline.
From a sandbox viewpoint, the player is free to roam much of the map. But most importantly, quests can be completed in multiple ways, and are non-linear in nature.Baldur’s Gate 3isn’t a hybrid game, it is a traditional RPG, so no survival mechanics or base building, just quality fantasy RPG gameplay in a sandbox world.
It is hard to conceptualize thatGTA 5was released way back in 2013. This game is still wildly popular with players over a decade later. The single-player campaign is fun and engaging, and the online play is part crazy crime story and part comedy show. Rockstar Games constructed a perfect sandbox open-world for players to exploit, and they do.
GTA 5was one of the first games that gave the player the choice of either playing through the main story, or just wandering off and doing their own thing. Sure, there is a need to complete the short prologue introduction, but once this is done, the world is open for exploration. Gamers who have never playedGTA 5might want to look out for it to go on sale, as it is a bit of a must-play for sandbox RPG fans.
Skyrim, the fifth game inThe Elder Scrollsseries of games, was released in 2011 and has earned its place in the number 1 spot on this list. Loved by many, despised by a few, this game has had a huge impact on RPG players across more than 15 years.
The profusion of updates, add-ons and player-generated content keeps this game alive. But it is the large, open-world map that actually rewards exploration that makes this game special. Sure, it doesn’t offer as many sandbox-style activities as newer games do, but those it does offer are excellent.The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimshould be on every gamer’s list of must-play sandbox games.
