Adventure/Sandbox Games - Suggestions?

[mikeo01]

Hi all

I don't think there are many around, but I'll ask anyway.

Looking for some unusual lone/adventure games that I can play. Sandbox style really. Whether it's survival, action, zombie based or just mystery type games.

Don't mind what it is really, but games like free roaming on a similar nature to these sorts (I own) if you know what I mean -
Far Cry 3
Assassins creed
Shadow of the colossus
Arma Dayz
Tomb Raider? Kinda
Crysis

Also looking at a game on Steam called Misamata, anyone heard of it?

Been really interested in large scale games that aren't necessarily forcing you into "action". Wilderness and free to explore is my interest at the moment.


I know there aren't many around, but any upcoming ones, mods or any games that'll deliver that really

Thanks for any input

[outwar6010]

the fallout games are pretty good(3 and new vegas), skyrim etc

[AETAaAS]

Definately recommend Miasmata. Free roaming with lots to see and do. But unlike the games you listed, it is a slow going game. Hiding and puzzles/riddles are more the focus of Miasmata with a touch of horror. Great components but lacking a little in polish.

You could also buy Minecraft, download the Technic Launcher and then play Hexxit or any one of the more RPG/Adventure oriented mods. I like this because Minecraft is inherently flexible in player actions, with infinitely large worlds and the thing I enjoy the most is building a home, outposts and burning time. Oh god... so much time...

edit; it's not out yet but one game to keep an eye on is Survive by Subsurface. If you read the 'gameplay features' post, it really fits nicely into what I'd want out of a game like this.

[mikeo01]

Thanks I will take a look into the Fallout games. Skyrim looks decent, looks like my type of game.

AETAaAS: Yeah that's what I enjoy, I love roaming around in the games I listed. Free roaming with a dense environment is my type of thing. Think I will buy that Miasmata then

I've seen Minecraft but really don't like the look of it. Seems very flexible but I don't think building things personally interests me

[Noxvayl]

I love Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas and Skyrim. I've probably played close to one thousand hours in those games combined, awesome games.

I found Borderlands to be pretty good with exploration, lots of side quests you can do and just general looting without a goal. I'm sure Borderlands 2 is similar but I haven't gotten it yet.

Just Cause 2 has lots of roaming in it, some great gameplay as well. Worth a look considering how cheap it is. Even though it is old it has good graphics as well.

Grand Theft Auto IV might also suit you, you can spend lots of time roaming various parts of the city without accomplishing anything.

Hope you enjoy one of those, I've enjoyed them all.

[kalniel]

Dear Esther
Gone Home

[AETAaAS]

Might be worth going back and playing Elder Scrolls Oblivion if you haven't done so already. I spent 20 hours exploring before I remembered there was a main quest. That does mean a lot of dungeon crawling but the breadth of characters and locations were simply mind boggling when I played it for the first time all those years ago. You can pick up the 5th Anniversary Edition cheap off eBay or Amazon.

@kalniel =Possible Gone Home Spoiler==
I didn't play Dear Esther, but Gone Home is a little expensive IMO, since I only got about one and a half hours out of it (and I was playing with an OCD level of thoroughness). It is a very enjoyable game (in concept and execution) and the story was well written and presented but I really feel there could have been more.

[mikeo01]

Hmm, Grand Theft Auto IV looks OK, seems like there's some fun things to do. I've tried Just Cause 2 but got very bored of it. Skyrim however does look great in graphics, and wandering about though.

Dear Esther looks great, may buy that one


I've just finished playing Miasmata and it was an amazing game. Pretty good graphics so nice exploring. Problem is I don't think many games do much in terms of down right exploring in the wildness.

Anyone know of any open world racing games maybe? The whole forest and mountain setting appeals to me. Getting lost in it basically

EDIT: Think I'm just trying to find something that reassembles somewhat reality


Thanks for all the input

[AETAaAS]

The most recent open world racing game I have played recently is Burnout Paradise. I know Forza on the XBox had open worlds in one of the later installments but I don't have an XBox. I liked Burnout Paradise a lot, but the main selling point was the online mode which meant 8 players could roam and do challenges or races together. It is an old game now and the community has shrunk considerably. But it is still a massive open world, with lots to see and do and pretty fun if you like the sideways, chaotic racing which has been the staple of the series. (Oh and it can be had for next to nothing on ebay if you look for just the key)

Test Drive Unlimited 1 and 2 are also great games. They initially had a lot of bugs but I think they were ironed out. I'd highly recommend them and especially the second since it mixed a bit more offroading into the mix than the first one.

NFS Most Wanted (2012) and Carbon are my picks from the NFS series. Most Wanted because it was drop dead gorgeous and Carbon because I liked the way muscle cars worked in that game. They sounded nice, drifted all over the place and you could make them look very appealing.

For forest/mountain, you could try Off-Road Drive if you want to do what it says on the tin. It is a simulation which means lots of gear changing, switching diff and gearbox settings, tyre pressure, winching, etc. A games where the entire keyboard has a function attached to it.

A game that I am looking forward to and I suspect you may too is The Crew. It has a massive open world (basically the whole of the United States) and has off roading as a large but still optional component. That comes out next year.

Trailer and demo vid;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4JnshyKOOQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfl39tfs6FI

[mikeo01]

Thanks! I will have to buy all those you list, they all look amazing! driving around for hours sounds awesome

I will thinking about NFS Most Wanted for the PS2, I did even know there was a newer one. I have Carbon for the PS2.

I've always been a fan of the Burnout games, the last one I played was Revenge, so it'll be cool to see how the new one works.


I will definitely keep an eye out for The Crew, graphics look beautiful. That'll be a winner


Thanks for the suggestions, will be buying all of those

[brutallink]

I am also looking forward to The Crew, it should be the natural progression from TDU2.

I used to play Need for Speed World almost continuously, which is essentially a free-to-play racing MMO using the original NFS Most Wanted and NFS Carbon maps cleverly connected together into one big map with HD textures and full day/night cycle.

The game has just celebrated its 3rd birthday a few months ago but EA ruined the game a year into its life with hellishly expensive micro transactions.
That and the non-functioning chat box, ever present in the corner although no chat will appear.
Plus the overwhelming number of hackers.

So hopefully The Crew will bring me back to racing MMO's.

[virtuo]

I seem to remember Tony Hawk's American Wasteland was just one huge streaming level? Pretty old, and a different genre to everything else mentioned, but I expect there's lots to discover. Only ever played a demo but I'm sure there was a PC version.

[Galant]

If you don't mind going old-school (or haven't played them before) here are a few older ones definitely worth visiting. All of these are older and slightly different in genre, but are large-scale games, immersive, with good atmosphere and lots to explore.

1 - Try the Thief series. If you can cope with the dated graphics Thief 1 (The Dark Project) is where to start. If you really can't stand the old-school look then jump to Thief 3 which stands up better, but you'll be missing out on a lot.

Alternatively, the original Deus Ex was immersive and an incredible experience.

Oblivion has been mentioned, but far better IMO was Morrowind. Fantasy though, so maybe not what you're after.

Star Wars KoToR is another massive game that'll also suck you in - unless you hate Star Wars.

[adidan]

I've been lost in Skyrim for months now.

If you want to venture to the skies then check out X3 Terran Conflict, that's a time muncher as well though.

[AGTDenton]

Test Drive Unlimited 1 and 2 are also great games. They initially had a lot of bugs but I think they were ironed out. I'd highly recommend them and especially the second since it mixed a bit more offroading into the mix than the first one.

Not to doubt how good these games are but Atari look to be going bust, I cannot activate my copy of TDU2 that I bought from Game earlier in the year. I was able to play the single player until last week when it said my account no longer exists, despite the fact I can still log in to my Atari account on their website.

So I would actually avoid, it's £10 I can't get back.

I've uninstalled and am placing it into the archives.

[AETAaAS]

Not to doubt how good these games are but Atari look to be going bust, I cannot activate my copy of TDU2 that I bought from Game earlier in the year. I was able to play the single player until last week when it said my account no longer exists, despite the fact I can still log in to my Atari account on their website.

So I would actually avoid, it's £10 I can't get back.

I've uninstalled and am placing it into the archives.

Ah, last I played TDU2 was quite a while ago. I popped onto the Steam community to see what was going on and seems people are still able to access servers. From what I understand, Atari may have gone under but Eden games have taken up the slack? Put this on hold perhaps as the future is uncertain. However, as the old adage goes; "smoke 'em if you got 'em".