15 Best Sandbox Missions of All Time

The Silent Cartographer – Halo: Combat Evolved

The Silent Cartographer sees Master Chief and UNSC Marines dropping down on the ringworld’s beach and immediately devolves into a battle against the Covenant, as you storm the front before commandeering a Warthog. Eventually, the player needs to return to unlock the Forerunner facility, tackling Hunters and camouflaged Elites in the process. Though the goals are clear, the overall non-linear nature of the exploration, coupled with the tense combat, vehicles and sense of freedom was simply unprecedented for shooters at the time. Such is the level’s brilliance that it’s still considered one of the most revered in the Halo franchise.