Top 7 Sandbox Games of All Time

Don’t make that face, okay? You’ve come across stranger lists, this is still okay.

Yeah, so where was I? Nowhere, I still have to start. So let’s. Sandbox games have become a major section of the gaming industry. Some of the best known franchises these days, like Grand Theft Auto, Assassin’s Creed, Saint’s Row, Mafia, Crackdown and many others are sandbox games, and almost all games these days that strive to strike perfection between replayability and innovation opt for the sandbox style of games. Recently, we have seen this specific section of the games develop.

As an ode to all the great games this sub-genre has given us, GamingBolt presents to you, Top 7 Sandbox Games Of All Time. Remember, this list is the opinion of the author, and does not represent what is the fact. Before getting angry and burning down our HQ if you don’t agree, please realize that this list is a personal opinion. Your feedback will be appreciated though. You can comment in the comments section below.

So without further ado, let’s begin!

7. Fable II

Platform: Xbox 360 | Developer: Lionhead Studios | Publisher: Microsoft | Release Date: October, 2008

Fable- probably one of the most ambitious, grandest, the most passionate names in the industry of ganes, yet probably the one that has given us two of the most flawed games of all time. Building up on the successful yet inperfect formula that was introduced in the original Fable, Fable II added several new mechanics, such as the lovable dog and the very useful golden trail. Fable II allowed players to wander the entire world, and gave us such an immense sense of freedom, that one could completely ditch the main story missions and delve deeper into the world of Albion from the very beginning of the game. From stealing stuff, buying houses and buildings, killing people and guards, marrying the citizens, having children with them, to exploring towns, doing jobs, buying stuff from shops and having- uh, sexual relationships with people, you can do just about everything in Fable II. Oh, of course you can’t sell milk shake, but that’s just one thing.

(Stay Tuned, We Will Have Our Fable III Preview Up Soon)

6. Spider-Man 2

Platform: GCN, Xbox, Mac OS, PC, PS2, PSP, GBA, DS, N-Gage | Developer: Treyarch | Publisher: Activision | Release Date: June, 2004

I’m sure you cringed when you saw that name. But those of you who have played it will realize that the game actually deserves a spot here. The life-like, gargantuan city, the whole of which was open to exploration and sandbox style action to players from the very beginning, along with the spectacular new mechanics, like the 6th Sense, or Wall Running, and the realistic web swinging mechanic, in which we have to swing webs at solid things, like buildings or even airborne choppers, all came together in more ways than one, and made this a complete package, one that would stand out in the genre as a benchmark title for other superhero sandbox games to come.

5. The Godfather: The Game

Platform: PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, Xbox, PC | Developer: EA Redwood Shores | Publisher: EA | Release Date: March, 2006

“Oh wow, another movie tie-in? This list sucks!” is what you must be thinking right now, right? But I just love The Godfather, and anything to do with it. I loved the book, I loved the movie, and when the game was about to be released, I had very high expectations, despite my apprehension. While the game did have a few flaws of its own, it managed to do everything it tried to nearly perfectly. Not only did it keep the story completely true to that of the movie’s without putting us in the shoes of any of the characters seen in The Godfather universe, it also provided us with great missions, and an open, living breathing world, which offered unimaginable freedom- you could bribe cops, take over rackets, extort shokeepers, kill members of other gangs to take over the city and do just about anything one would expect from a mafiaso based free-roaming game. I don’t know about you people, but The Godfather: The Game will always hold a very special place in my heart.