The primary characteristic that defines pretty much every single sandbox game out there is the fact that these games allow players to control the pace of their gameplay. Instead of giving players a linear pattern to follow, these games give them the freedom to choose exactly how they want to play and don’t restrict them from doing anything. This particular characteristic is one that basically defines this entire genre and is the prime reason these games are so enjoyable.

Unlike most other game genres, sandbox games don’t really have any kind of end-game objective for players to complete. While there are multiple different quests that you can complete in order to acquire currency or various other incentives, there’s no final objective or task that you’ll need to complete. Since there’s no final task to complete, players can create their own adventures and enjoy the game however they prefer thereby making for an experience that’s quite immersive.

Sandbox games also usually come with an insane array of gameplay features that players can enjoy. These games allow players to travel across absolutely massive game world that are filled to the brim with amazing sights, fight many challenging monsters in order to acquire experience and loot, socialize with players from around the world and do a lot of other highly engaging activities.

One trait that almost all sandbox games share is is the fact that they aren’t limited by any means. A lot of these games usually support mods and the communities behind them tend to come up with lots of amazing mods that add tons of great features to the gameplay. There are mods that improve visuals, mods that refine the gameplay, mods that add new items, mods that add new gameplay mechanics and tons of other different kinds of mods as well that can enhance the experience in various ways.

Almost all sandbox games look highly appealing in terms of visuals as well. Most of these games come with a distinct blocky art style that’s quite unlike anything that you’d find in other genres. The unique art style of these games is usually coupled with a bright color palette thereby making for visuals that are a delight to look at.

Lack of any proper story is also a characteristic that all sandbox games share. Unlike the characteristics mentioned above, this one might seem a bit negative but that’s actually not the case. Since there’s no predetermined story in these games, you’re free to make up your adventures and even come up with your own stories as you progress through these games. The sky is pretty much the limit when playing sandbox games.

All said and done, the aforementioned characteristics are those that all sandbox games share with one another. They’re also the key reasons these games are so enjoyable and we definitely recommend trying them out whenever you get a chance.