Players enjoy being in control of the video game world they are in, which is why there is something so attractive about sandbox games. One of the more interesting indie sandbox games to come out in the last year is Cloud Gardens. The game tasks players with overgrowing vines and other greenery in post-apocalyptic dioramas.
While there is also a puzzle aspect to the experience, Cloud Gardens is meant to be a relaxing time slowly placing plants around broken-down street signs and buildings. For people who enjoyed this game and other sandbox games that build on this idea of shaping levels to the player's satisfaction, there are plenty of other options to check out.
7 Universe Sandbox
While Cloud Gardens is about revitalizing a world that has been abandoned, Universe Sandbox is about creating and manipulating planets, stars, and rocks in space. This simulator focuses on giving players a realistic experience of what it's like in space, meaning that objects are tied to gravitational pull and can be affected by factors such as collision and weather.
Players have the ability to make their own system or observe existing systems that they may want to have fun messing with. The best part of Universe Sandbox is that it offers a Virtual Reality mode for those who have a compatible headset.
6 The Sims 4
When it comes to sandbox games, there are very few that are as famous and expansive as The Sims 4. The Electronic Arts classic life simulator has had its fourth game out since 2014 and has not seen a new installment in quite some time. That is because of all the DLC packs that the developers continue to add to the game.
The Sims 4 has players create a Sim character and then create the house of their dreams. There are many details and various items that players can keep in mind when building their home, which is a testament to the amount of customization that is in the game. While watching the Sim live their life is a part of the game, the bread and butter is the sandbox element.
5 Teardown
Cloud Gardens is about bringing life to the world post its destruction, but what if players wanted to be behind the destruction? This is why a game like Teardown was made. This voxel game arms players with the tools necessary to destroy everything that stands in their way.
There is a campaign mode in Teardown where players will be tasked with stealing objects from within buildings that they can destroy to reach. However, those looking for a sandbox mode where they can do whatever they want to an environment without any objectives will find what they are searching for in this game.
4 Tinytopia
Even though Cloud Gardens is a game about nature reclaiming what civilization tried to take away from it, those that are interested in keeping their own small civilization should look no further than Tinytopia. This adorable sandbox allows players to take care of a town that the player has been elected mayor of.
With 23 different worlds to choose from, players have the job of building a city while also dealing with challenges along the way. While the game is mostly about building up, there are also a handful of potential catastrophes that could happen that players will need to try to prevent. There are also levels where players will be challenged to balance a town on a small surface.
3 Sizeable
Dioramas are at the center of what makes Cloud Gardens so wonderful, which is also why Sizeable is such a delightful game to tinker around with. This puzzle game has players examine dioramas and resize objects so they can find three different pillars.
Each level is based on a specific theme, such as a particular holiday or a fun activity. Some objects also actively function, so these presentations actually have some life to them. Those wanting to make their own levels in sandbox fashion will be happy to know that the developers recently added a Diorama Mode for this exact purpose.
2 Dorfromantik
Another indie puzzle game that took the internet by storm for a bit was Dorfromantik. It has sandbox elements to it where players are essentially tasked with building landscapes. However, these pieces of land are separated into tiles.
The goal for a normal round of Dorfromantik is to match the color of tiles along the edges with another tile that matches. This gives players the ability to see towns and other biomes in a seamless way. While there is a primary puzzle game that players can partake in, there are also creative modes for players looking to just endlessly build.
1 Townscaper
Those looking for a relaxing experience similar to that of Cloud Gardens can also sit back and enjoy a city-builder game like Townscaper. Described as more of a tool than a game, players are given a blank canvas for them to build lots of different houses and roads to make up their own small civilization.
Players are given customization options with each object they select so that each element of their town perfectly fits the builder's vision. Townscaper also has a built-in algorithm that allows players to place some things and let the game potentially fill out other spaces for them as well.
Cloud Gardens is available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.