Fantasy Sandbox?

brian72282 · January 2014

Are there any fantasy sandbox games available right now besides Ryzom? I'm waiting on EQNext, but since that isn't due until the end of the year I'm hoping to find something to hold me over until then.

SirPKsAlot · January 2014

You could maybe try Istaria, though (like most sandbox MMOs) it has a very steep learning curve / interface.

tom_gore · January 2014

Ultima Online (Freeshards).

brian72282 · January 2014

Forgot about UO, but will pass on that.

Also, I didn't really care for Istaria. Its just too dated for me.

Malvious · January 2014

A good sandbox will always stay a Fantasy.

brian72282 · January 2014

Bump

Hoping someone has a suggestion that hasn't been posted.

svandy · January 2014

Mortal
Wurm
Darkfall

Thats about the best you will get. Sandbox titles for the moment are dominated by sci fi (which I am OK with)

brian72282 · January 2014

Well what is there for Scifi then? Because Eve and Perpetuum are not my cup of tea.

SirPKsAlot · January 2014

You could maybe try Vanguard

btraill · January 2014

I only enjoy sandbox games. Runescape 3 has been holding my attention the past few months. It has evolved into a great game.

svandy · January 2014

Originally posted by brian72282
Well what is there for Scifi then? Because Eve and Perpetuum are not my cup of tea.

Well it depends on how strict your definition of Sandbox is. Games that come to mind with a sci-fi/non-fantasy theme:

Firefall - Sandbox in the sense that there is no real quest line or anything like that. You do what you want, when you want. Awesome resource system, plans for housing and open world pvp. Game has lacked direction for some time but they are under new leadership and seem to be already finding their stride. In Open Beta.

Starbound - Not an MMO in the traditional sense, more akin to Minecraft but with a more in-depth RPG system. Can be purchased from Steam Early Access

Terraria - Also very similar to Minecraft, pretty much the predecessor to Starbound

DayZ - Zombie survial simulator. Currently in Alpha, can buy in through steam early access. Has plans for very in depth crafting, possibly building, vehicles, etc. Not an mmo, technically, but worth a look for sandbox fans.

Rust - Pretty much the same as DayZ only it already has building. Also not technically an MMO, but feels like one.

Xsyon - Survial sandbox, actually is an MMO (and I think free to play now?). Game has always struggled to find its niche, but it has a small dedicated playerbase. You can build houses or villages, craft, hunt, fight, etc. Very much like Star Wars Galaxies but not very polished at all. Has terraforming which was a huge selling point for it.

Salem - Colonial/Pilgrim themed sandbox. Build, survive, craft, standard stuff. Heavy emphasis on crafting. Has perma-death and awful combat, but can be very fun if you have a friend or two to play with.

Earthrise - has a buy in Alpha, sci-fi 3rd person shooter MMORPG. Supposedly will have good crafting, economy, etc. I have played in the Alpha state and frankly I'm not impressed, but worth a look if you can't find anything else to scratch that itch.

Planetside 2 - You might laugh at this suggestion, but it qualifies. There are no set goals, you simply fight where you want to fight and attempt to help your faction win the war. I highly recommend this game, it is one of the few that has been on my PC since it released and I still play it at least twice a week. Gets even better if you find a good outfit.

Fallen Earth - This one walks a fine line between theme park and sandbox, but many consider it a sandbox. Crafting very similar to SWG, skills are spent freely, supposedly has some open world pvp in the end game. You can make your own vehicles and stuff, but sadly no housing. Its a hidden gem in my opinion and worth a look.

Also, as I went back and thought about it, if you are really hard up for a Fantasy themed Sandbox, you can also look at:

Age of Wushu: Set in ancient china. Not fantasy per se... but close enough. Martial arts theme. Pretty good crafting system. No auction houses, you sell from your own player made shop. Combat, once you get the hang of it, is fun and rewarding. Lots of really neat, hidden away features like gossip which leads to hidden treasure and stuff. Playerbase has dwindled somewhat and the free to play model, in my opinion, is a bit restrictive. Though a sub is only 9.99 so that is not so bad.

Mabinogi: I always see this one suggested but honestly don't know much about it, it's anime themed so I avoid it.

Wakfu: Same as above, but I tried it because the combat is similar to Final Fantasy Tactics. I never got past the tutorial (graphics killed me) but suposedly it has good crafting, cool eco system, and some sort of player driven political structure.

If none of that works for you, and you really can't stomach EVE (I never wanted to try it, but when I did I got hooked so if you havent, you should), then your only options are to wait for as yet unreleased games.

Hope this helps.

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