When it comes to sandbox survival MMOs, there’s just something magical around the corner. Whether you’re playing with friends, a large guild or solo, a memorable experience is just around the corner. That’s one of the reasons why survival MMOs have been very popular, and we’ve seen more and more release every so often. For 2020, we’ve compiled a sandbox MMORPG buyer’s guide, featuring our favorite and best sandbox MMORPG games out there right now. Check it out.
The Forest
If horror is your favorite theme, then we suggest diving into The Forest. It’s a first person open world survival game for starters. Players must survive in this huge, dense forest after a plane crash and features great sandbox elements. There are no set objectives or missions, and the choice for progression lies entirely with you. You’ll scrounge and scavenge tools and of course, avoid or fight the creepy monsters that are out for blood. Gameplay wise, it runs excellent and has excellent graphics to boot. The best part is definitely the co-op mode that adds the multiplayer feel that truly makes this MMO worth checking out.
ARK: Survival Evolved
One of Steam’s most popular games in recent times, ARK is the quintessential survival game. he game puts you (naked) on a dinosaur inhabitied island either alone or with friends. Your job is then to survive. Sounds simple eh? Not quite, and what you’ll be doing on this island on the long run either with friends, tribemates or solo is the fun part. By just playing, you earn XP which is then used to craft gear and weapons. You also have the freedom to build bases and of course, tame the dinosaurs! Studio Wildcard – the developers – have added so much content over the last couple of years. There’s two expansions now, and the game just keeps growing. It is buy to play on Steam, and we do recommend this as a good alternative sandbox survival MMO.
Minecraft
If you can dream it, you can build it. That’s been the mantra for Minecraft since its inception. Minecraft is Google of sandbox worlds – a franchise that million of players enjoy daily, creating worlds that are both original, to things like Lord of the Ring’s Mines of Moria. The game lets players build anything with pixel blocks, and the RPG elements are what players make of it either solo or in a group. Thousands of Minecraft servers have emerged both official and non-official to offer you anything under the sun. It’s also everywhere, so you can pretty much play this on your PC or Nintendo Switch.
Conan Exiles
If fantasy is your thing and you like Conan, then Conan Exiles is the sandbox survival game for you. First hitting early access in early 2017, it has now launched globally and have become Funcom’s best selling game ever. Why is it so popular? Well, you create a Conan-ish character (with nudity if you so wish) and then explore the world solo or with your tribe. You pray to gods. Gather resources. Build incredible bases and battle it out with rival tribes. What’s not to like? With fresh DLC packs offering more choices for gear and mechanics, it’s also a great game to play casually and enjoy the Conan World. Check out our review for Conan Exiles here.
No Man’s Sky
Remember a time when No Man’s Sky use to be the punch line of a joke? Those days are all but gone. No Man’s Sky has a series of fresh and free updates that has appeared to turn the game around for the better, with many flocking back to the game they once found a “rip off”. Features like multiplayer are now live in this sandbox interstellar game where players travel to procedural random generated planets to harvest resources, upgrade ships and document wildlife. It’s an incredibly unique game and setting with great graphics and presently, fresh gameplay mechanics that keeps players interested and eager to explore the next planet. And the next. And the next one after that.
