14 Sandbox games like Gratuitous Space Battles that you should try

Shelved next to Gratuitous Space Battles for good reason: a sandbox world, tactical combat and single-player focus. To that it adds an isometric view. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings historical setting.

It comes from the same genre as Gratuitous Space Battles and shares a sandbox world, tactical combat and single-player focus. To that it adds an isometric view. They part company on tone and setting: this one brings strong narrative focus and a medieval setting.

Genre puts it alongside Gratuitous Space Battles, and so does a sandbox world, tactical combat and single-player focus. The common ground extends to an isometric view. Where the two diverge is tone and setting: strong narrative focus and a medieval setting.

Genre puts it alongside Gratuitous Space Battles, and so does a sandbox world, multiplayer gameplay and an isometric view. Where the two diverge is tone and setting: strong narrative focus and a medieval setting.

Shelved next to Gratuitous Space Battles for good reason: a sandbox world, single-player focus and an isometric view. They part company on combat and setting: this one brings magic-based combat and historical setting.

Shelved next to Gratuitous Space Battles for good reason: a sandbox world, tactical combat and single-player focus. Both also lean on an isometric view. The distance is in tone and game mode — its own ground is a casual, approachable feel and co-op play.

It comes from the same genre as Gratuitous Space Battles and shares a sandbox world, tactical combat and single-player focus. Both also lean on a top-down view. The distance is in tone and setting — its own ground is dark, oppressive atmosphere and procedural generation.

On paper it is what Gratuitous Space Battles is — punishing difficulty, a sandbox world and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Both also lean on 2D presentation. The distance is in setting and visuals — its own ground is open world exploration and fantasy world.

Genre puts it alongside Gratuitous Space Battles, and so does a sandbox world, single-player focus and 2D presentation. Where the two diverge is setting and visuals: fantasy world and pixel art.

On paper it is what Gratuitous Space Battles is — a sandbox world, single-player focus and a top-down view — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. They part company on tone and setting: this one brings a casual, approachable feel and open world exploration.

It comes from the same genre as Gratuitous Space Battles and shares a sandbox world, melee combat and multiplayer gameplay. The distance is in tone and setting — its own ground is dark, oppressive atmosphere and open world exploration.

The genre is the same as Gratuitous Space Battles’s, and with it punishing difficulty, a sandbox world and tactical combat. The common ground extends to multiplayer gameplay and an isometric view. Where the two diverge is tone and game mode: a casual, approachable feel and magic-based combat.

Where it meets Gratuitous Space Battles is tone and place, not genre: deep simulation, punishing difficulty and a sandbox world. The common ground extends to 2D presentation and a sci-fi setting. Where the two diverge is visuals and genre: survival mechanics.

What it holds in common with Gratuitous Space Battles is shape: deep simulation, a sandbox world and single-player focus. To that it adds an isometric view. They part company on visuals and genre: this one brings base building.