Virtual Life to the Max: 15 Games with Complete Freedom of Action

From building epic castles to conquering virtual worlds and creating your own gameplay mechanics, sandbox games offer a unique experience that can keep you hooked for hundreds of hours. We’ve prepared a list of 15 of the best games in this genre, which everyone who values freedom of choice should try.

Minecraft

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Minecraft is a world of endless possibilities where you determine your own destiny! Gather resources, build houses, castles, cities—anything you can imagine. Craft tools and weapons to survive and fight monsters emerging from the darkness. This sandbox has no fixed goal besides staying alive, so you choose your own path and form of entertainment.

Minecraft features two main modes: "Survival" where every resource matters and you need to fight for your life, and "Creative," where you have infinite resources and are immortal. Here, you can bring your boldest architectural fantasies to life. In multiplayer mode, you can team up with friends, build projects together, compete in construction, or fight each other to see who’s the best survivor.

Terraria

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Terraria is often called the 2D counterpart to Minecraft, but it offers much more than just a flat world! You’ll find a deep crafting system, thrilling battles, and endless opportunities for exploration. Venture into a procedurally generated world filled with resources, secrets, and deadly dangers. Gather materials, build shelters, craft powerful weapons and armor to survive and protect yourself from enemies.

There’s always something new to do in Terraria: from exploring deep dungeons and mining the rarest resources to creating complex mechanisms that automate production and crafting unique items. Defeat powerful bosses to unlock new technologies and upgrade your gear. And if you love playing with friends, Terraria’s multiplayer mode lets you explore this amazing world together, build fortresses, and fight enemies side by side!

Grand Theft Auto V

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Grand Theft Auto V isn’t just a game—it’s an entire world filled with chaos, humor, and endless possibilities! Immerse yourself in the criminal life of Los Santos, a city inspired by Los Angeles. Meet the deadly trio: retired bank robber Michael De Santa, street hustler Franklin Clinton, and the insane Trevor Phillips, who spin dangerous schemes while trying to survive in a world ruled by the law of the jungle.

In GTA V, you’ll find entertainment to suit any taste: complete gripping story missions, participate in crazy races, make money, rob stores, or simply enjoy the freedom of exploring a massive open world. GTA Online is a whole separate universe with tons of unique content and many servers, where you can create your own character and go wild with friends!

Red Dead Redemption 2

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Red Dead Redemption 2 is the most realistic Wild West life simulator, offering unprecedented freedom of action. Explore a vast, living world where snowy mountains give way to dusty plains and wildlife amazes with its beauty and danger. In Red Dead Online, you can create your own character and carve out your own story on the frontier with friends or other players.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, you choose your path: become a noble bounty hunter, a cunning trader, a ruthless outlaw, or simply a wandering cowboy. Complete gripping story missions, engage in gunfights, hunt wild animals, play poker, rob trains and banks, or just explore a world full of secrets and mysteries. Remember that every action has consequences, and how characters behave depends on your reputation, choice of clothing, hygiene, and even the weather. Are you ready for adventure, danger, and the freedom of the Wild West?

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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There’s probably no one left in the world who hasn’t bought this game already. You’ll embark on a journey through the vast province of Skyrim. Beyond the main story, Skyrim offers countless side quests, missions from different guilds and factions, and the opportunity to explore boundless expanses filled with mysteries, dangers, and treasure.

You can become a powerful warrior wielding various weapons and armor, a cunning thief infiltrating the most guarded places, a wise mage commanding the elements, or combine different skills and abilities. Skyrim also lets players deeply interact with the world around them: get married, buy homes, practice crafting, and influence the political situation in the province.

Thanks to countless mods created by an active community, Skyrim’s possibilities are practically limitless, making it one of the longest-lasting and most popular RPGs in history.

No Man’s Sky

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This game is for true enthusiasts of the cosmic setting. You’ll discover trillions of procedurally generated planets, each a unique world teeming with unseen flora, mysterious fauna, and valuable resources.

Explore planets, build bases, trade with alien civilizations, fight space pirates, or simply admire the mesmerizing vistas of outer space. No Man’s Sky combines elements of exploration, survival, construction, and trading, offering limitless opportunities for adventure. Play solo or join friends in multiplayer to conquer new worlds together. Gather resources to ensure your character’s survival, upgrade your ship and equipment, and build a colossal base to serve as your home in this boundless galaxy.

Garry’s Mod

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Complete freedom of creativity—that’s the best way to describe Garry’s Mod. Forget about rules and restrictions; GMod is a blank canvas where you can do whatever you want. Use a wide array of tools and objects to create, manipulate, and experiment, bringing your wildest ideas to life.

Create your own games, make animated masterpieces, draw comics, and much more! Thanks to Steam Workshop, GMod is an endless source of user-generated content from around the world: new tools, items, maps, and jaw-dropping game modes. Build towers, launch rockets, create intricate simulators, and participate in chaotic multiplayer games—this is just the tip of the iceberg of what you can do in GMod!

Kerbal Space Program

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In this simulator, players oversee a space program run by the Kerbals, amusing green beings eager to conquer space. Design and build rockets, planes, and spacecraft using a vast set of parts and tools, then venture into the Kerbol System, filled with numerous planets and moons.

In KSP, you’ll need to account for physics and aerodynamics, making the game not just entertaining but also educational. Don’t be afraid to experiment and fail—every setback brings you closer to success! Build space stations, colonize distant planets, conduct scientific research, and rescue Kerbals in distress. With support for mods, KSP’s possibilities are virtually limitless!

Cities: Skylines

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Cities: Skylines is a city-building simulator where you become both mayor and architect of your own metropolis! Constructing buildings is easy, but creating a thriving mega-city where everything functions like clockwork is a real challenge. Zone areas for residential, commercial, and industrial districts, lay roads, railways, and ports for an efficient transportation network, and provide residents with all necessary services—from electricity and water supply to education and waste management.

Pass laws and decrees that affect city life, manage budgets, traffic, and crime, and do everything you can to keep your citizens happy! Thanks to a huge modding community, Cities: Skylines offers practically endless possibilities to build the city of your dreams.

Factorio

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In this factory-building simulator, you arrive on an alien planet to create an automated manufacturing paradise! Start by mining resources and processing them into complex materials, creating everything needed for survival and prosperity. Your ultimate goal is to launch a rocket into space, but the real enjoyment lies in building ever more intricate and efficient production chains.

Automate everything—from ore extraction to microchip production—using conveyor belts, robots, and advanced technology. You’ll need planning, logic, and engineering know-how to optimize your factory and overcome any challenges. But stay vigilant! As your industrial empire grows, you’ll have to defend it against hostile aliens who won’t let you build the future in peace.

Valheim

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Ever wanted to feel like a Viking? Then this is the place for you. Take on the role of Vikings who died in battle and were sent to Valheim—the tenth world in Norse mythology. To prove worthy of Valhalla, players must explore this harsh realm, build bases, craft weapons and armor, fight mythic creatures, and defeat powerful bosses.

The developers struck a good balance between grinding and fun, pleasing many fans of the genre. The game features a deep crafting system, allowing for the creation of increasingly complex equipment and items. Valheim stands out for its beautiful low-poly graphics, immersive Norse atmosphere, and cooperative play with friends, making it one of the most popular survival games in recent years.

Rust

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In Rust, every choice you make matters, and every action has consequences. You start out naked and defenseless in a world ruled by the law of the jungle. Collect resources, build shelter, craft weapons, and prepare to defend yourself. But remember—there are no safe places in Rust, and any mistake can cost you your life.

Social interaction is key to survival in Rust. Band together with other players to build massive bases and face enemies together, or go it alone and fight for every inch of land. But beware: in this world, betrayal is common, and even yesterday’s ally might stab you in the back. Rust is constantly evolving, offering new challenges and opportunities. Are you ready to accept the rules of this brutal game and survive at all costs?

Subnautica

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A truly unique survival game set in the depths of the ocean. After a spaceship crash, you find yourself on a planet almost completely covered in water. Explore the underwater world, gather resources, build bases, and craft survival gear to not only stay alive but also escape this mysterious planet.

Subnautica captivates with its beauty and intrigues with the secrets hidden in the depths. Dangers lurk everywhere: hunger, thirst, predatory sea creatures, and unexplored underwater landscapes. Immerse yourself in a gripping story as you uncover the secrets behind the disaster and encounter astonishing forms of life. And with the virtual reality mode, you can truly feel like an underwater explorer.

Don’t Starve Together

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In Don’t Starve Together, players must survive in a dark and perilous world filled with strange creatures and magical phenomena. Collect resources, build shelters, craft tools and weapons, and above all—don’t starve. In Don’t Starve Together, you’re not alone; you can survive alongside friends, cooperating and sharing responsibilities.

Players need to constantly monitor their hunger, sanity, and health, as well as defend against hostile creatures and natural hazards. One of the game’s hallmarks is its distinctive visual style, inspired by the works of Tim Burton. We recommend playing with friends—it's much more fun to face all the adversities of this whimsical, if slightly grim and mysterious, world together.

Conan Exiles

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If you grew up admiring Schwarzenegger’s muscles and yearning for adventures in Robert E. Howard’s world, then Conan Exiles is the game for you! You’re an exile, condemned to death, and must survive in a brutal world ruled by wild beasts, cannibals, and ancient gods. Build fortifications, forge deadly weapons and armor, explore forgotten ruins, and worship dark powers to prove your right to live in the Exiled Lands.

Conan Exiles has no rules—only you and your drive for power. Enslave captives, build cities, besiege fortresses, explore new lands, and uncover ancient secrets. Immerse yourself in a realm where every day is a fight for survival and forge your own legend. Thanks to mods from a dedicated community, Conan’s world expands without end.

The games covered in this article are just the starting point in the vast world of sandbox games. Each project offers a unique experience and allows players to bring their creative visions to life. Choose a game you like, dive into a world of freedom, and create your own story! No matter your choice, remember: there are almost no limits in a sandbox, so let your imagination run wild!

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