If you’ve ever played a game like Garry's mod or even going way back, Little Big Planet 2, then you have an idea of what makes a sandbox game good.
Unfortunately, because these games offer both game modes, and essentially their own game engines. They almost always cost money.
Well, luckily there are a few great free alternatives so you can still experience that sandbox chaos that we love.
5. Ylands
So to start out this list out, I wanted to start off well and I think Ylands is definitely an option you should consider.
Ylands has one of, if not the most powerful creation engine in this list. It seems like there may be less of an active community in this one but I was still able to find lobbies and game modes with other people.
Like the other games on this list, there are countless options here and one in a specific game mode that I really recommend is Saylor.
So, Saylor is a game mode where you basically sail around and gather loot from all of the different islands around you.
I had a ton of fun with this game mode and I played it alone. So, if you can get some friends to play with, then that’ll make it a lot more fun.
Creating:
If you are interested in creating your own then there is a lot to do here.
This creation mode is very in-depth. The way it all worked reminded me a lot of how you would navigate in something like Blender.
I didn’t explore all the options, but there is a lot to do here.
4. The Sandbox Evolution
So, I think The Sandbox Evolution, is probably the most unique sandbox game out of all the rest of the games on this list.
Obviously, the game is pixelated but not only that but the game plays a lot different than the others. Unlike the others on this list, this one is actually only a single-player game.
You can still play other player's game modes and worlds and publish your own, but the gameplay is entirely single-player.
There are other creator's game modes but also ones that the developers have made. You can only unlock some of these with points, and this also crosses over into the creation mode.
Creating:
When you create your own level, you have a lot of different setting options but a lot of these items are point locked.
I actually didn’t mind this, and the reason for that is because they give you enough points where you can basically unlock everything you want.
I had a lot of fun with this game and as I said, if you want a unique spin on these types of games, then this one is definitely one to check out.
3. Counter-Strike Nexon: Studio
So, I know we all know what Counter-Strike is, but I actually never knew that there was also a sandbox counter strike game.
The community for this one is really active and I never had any trouble finding other players. I do wanna say that the majority of games in this one are zombie-themed.
That isn’t a bad thing, because I actually love how to counter strike feels, so, this was fun for me.
Creating:
The studio for this one is extremely refined. You have these different weapons like tools where you place things down or rotate things, so everything is very streamlined.
You also have a wide list of assets from the source engine and I see a lot of potential with this one.
2. PlayCraft
So, PlayCraft is actually the reason I decided to make this list. I saw this when I was researching for one of my other videos and this really caught my attention.
The game is very refined, probably the best looking and most refined gameplay out of all the rest of the games on this list.
You have a ton of different game options here and what sets this one apart from the rest is that you can actually edit the game modes you play before you go into play mode.
So, this is an extremely free source, and honestly, Playcraft, with friends is such a good game.
Creating:
Another thing that impressed me was the creative ability. You can do all sorts of things like modify terrain and add power-ups. It can be somewhat limited, but it’s extremely impressive for what it offers.
Playcraft is a must play with friends and even solo.
1. Rec Room
My number pick for this list is Rec Room, and the reason for this is because this game is extremely fun, and the community is very active.
A lot of people think this game is only for VR, but if you’re like me, you don’t have a VR, and luckily for us, the game is also non-VR compatible.
I was very surprised at just how many people were playing, and not only playing but chatting with each other.
I played a couple of different game modes but I had trouble stopping playing because of how fun this game was.
The game seamlessly lets you jump to and from, what are called rooms, and these are game modes that the community makes and publishes.
It encourages playing with friends and exploring this massive pool of endless game modes.
Creating:
The creation mode was a little confusing for me, but from what I’ve seen, you have a lot of options here to create whatever you want.
Rec Room is a must try and I really recommend playing with friends.
