I absolutely HATE sandbox games. Hate. They suck.
But I play this game, Wartribe Academy and several others.
I think the problem isn't that sandbox games suck, it's that the majority of sandbox games are done so badly. It's much harder to make a sandbox game than it is a linear game, even one with many choices. Let me amend that - it's harder to make a
good sandbox game. Sandbox games, being more intricate, are harder to do well and I think many developers attempt them before they are skilled enough story-tellers and game designers to pull it off.
"Sandbox" has become synonymous with "quicksand" in many players eyes because a poorly made game can suck you into a quagmire of shit you can't ever find your way out of or progress in. Some people, like our intrepid "reviewer" above get such a hatred and phobia of sandbox games that any sandbox aspect it evil and the rise of Satan. If I see a "sandbox" tag, but everything else looks interesting, I'll give it a try but it has to capture me. I probably give sandbox games a more "stern" test than non-sandbox because I have to be sold on the idea that the sandboxing-around will be worth it and possible to do. Some are well enough done that if I don't see the sandbox tag, it doesn't occur to me until I've played several updates that it is, in fact, a sandbox game. Story and visuals override the style of gameplay.
Sandbox games are kind of like mystery novels, you have to figure them out. If it is too difficult, or nonsense, they both suck. Done well they are interesting, engaging and fun.
Sandbox is also easy to target because it has a tag, a label. If "Games that suck" was a tag or label we would all avoid those or bitch about them as much as we do sandbox. I hate "games that suck" just as bad or worse than sandbox because it's easier to do......provided you actually have visuals and story that (insert ominous music) don't suck.
On the other note, I leave very few reviews. I got burned early on F95zone by giving positive reviews to games that changed drastically during development (to the point that I hated them), or negative reviews that were polite and descriptive only to have them deleted as " not following review guidelines". A game has to be pretty far along for me to review it positively and I don't even bother with negative ones. There is one game I used to play that went into a "reboot" mode that everyone hated. no on, and I mean NO ONE liked it. Not only did all new negative reviews disappear, but ANY negative review ever posted disappeared. The game shows a 5 star rating even though the thread is nothing but bitching about the game......which hasn't been updated since.
I'm working on a game myself.....it is NOT going to be sandbox. I'm having enough of a learning curve trying to put together a linear branching story and game without trying to tackle sandbox
. Because I also hate "games that suck" I'm trying to avoid all of the issues I hate in other games, which makes it difficult. Expect to see it sometime in 2035
I absolutely HATE sandbox games. Hate. They suck......but as I think about it 20-25% of the games on my computer are probably sandbox games.
Just goes to show it's easy to hate a label.