Before we get started, if you don't know, a sandbox game refers to a game where a player is dropped into a virtual sandbox and given the freedom to what he or she wants to do in this virtual sandbox, and open-ended refers to a game with many options or choices, with many paths the player can choose at his or her discretion. Hope that helps!

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More and more these days the gaming industry sees certain titles change to a more open-ended theme, where the player has more options and more freedom. One perfect example of this trend is in the Burnout series, with the new title Burnout Paradise released recently. This new version of Burnout strays from the strict map format of games past and allows the player to drive around Paradise City competing in any races they so choose. Love it or hate it, this trend seems to be growing more and more popular, with games such as Oblivion and Mass Effect gaining popularity and praise. I feel there are a few reasons as to why these games are growing in popularity, and why, in many people's opinions, they are so fun.

The open-ended style sandbox game allows for more content than a normal game, without making the game feel drawn out. One perfect example of this is the popular game Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion, a high-quality and content packed game from Bethesda. It offers a main storyline, a Mages Guild Storyline, a Fighters Guild Storyline, among others, none of which truly feel too tacked on. To make things better, each is optional, meaning a player may choose to opt out if they feel so inclined, or even leave to do other quests while others remain active. There are also many side quests the player can gain knowledge of through rumors, which again, are optional. We as gamers love games that can keep us entertained for long periods of time, and through mass amounts of sheer content, sandbox-style games can do just that.

As gamers, we have limited budgets to spend on games. As such, quality games with more "game" to them are more attractive, because we can get "more bang for our buck," as the saying goes. This may be part of the reason why more games have an open-ended feel to them, and what makes them so attractive. Why spend $60 on a game that lasts ten hours when another game can be bought for the same price that contains forty hours of game-play time? A major demerit of Call of Duty 4 was that its single player mode was too short. This is, of course, not taking online multiplayer into account, but even then, it is rare for a game to reach Halo 2 or 3 status of multiplayer time. Games like Burnout Paradise that allow open-ended play along with online multiplayer can be especially effective, as they can offer the best of both worlds. They offer us more freedom and more value, making them a logical purchase.

What about freedom, you may be asking? Sandbox-style games offer great freedom. The Grand Theft Auto Series offers open-ended game-play where a player can choose to rob a bank, take a drive, or even go on a mass murder spree if he felt so inclined. In Oblivion, a player could choose to go wander the countryside, naked, as some crazy Nord murdering any traveler he comes across (like my friend did.) A strict linear game cannot offer this freedom. This situation in a way can be compared to growing up. As a person grows older, they are offered more freedom and more choice. At age five, most things are done for a person, at age twelve, a little less, and by age eighteen, one has great freedom to do as he chooses. Perhaps somewhere deep within us there is some gene or some part of our sub-conscious that desires freedom, that desires less decisions to be forced upon us. Therefore, such games may appeal to this side of us unknowingly, and therefore have higher allure. Sandbox games many times allow for multiple ways of solving problems, something else that may appeal to us as humans. Each person is different, and may desire to deal with each situation differently. In Oblivion, there are often many ways to solve a similar situation, be it stealth, brute force, or cunning. In Mass Effect, the player is given multiple ways to solve each situation. The player is allowed to choose between persuasion, fighting, or at times, just leaving and forgetting about an entire situation. Freedom has great appeal, and may be part of the reason why sandbox games are so popular.

Finally, these games have the opportunity to expand. Oblivion offers many downloads for new areas and quests, along with a full expansion pack. Even though I have not really mentioned them to this point, because they fit into a slightly different category, MMORPG's can expand infinitely, offering the player an unbelievable amount of content, replay value, and freedom. World of Warcraft keeps on growing in size and complexity. Mass Effect offers the entire Milky Way galaxy to explore, and really could allow for near limitless expansions onto it. With the advent of high speed downloads and huge online marketplaces such as the Xbox Live Marketplace, this key element of expansion becomes even more important, as expansions are readily available for quick download, giving the game even more content and value. Unfortunately, such expansions usually come at a price, which is simply a pain to deal with.

Of course, a game does not necessarily need to be open-ended to be successful, because in fact, many are not. However, it does seem that more and more games are gaining open-ended elements to them, even if they are not sandbox-style in and of themselves. And of course, not every gamer likes these games, as they may feel lost, or simply have no desire to figure everything out. But to me and many others out there, open-ended sandbox-style games offer a unique experience, one which is fun, exciting, and altogether memorable.

There are many things I could not touch upon in this editorial, as it would go on forever if I even tried! If you have comments or critiques, please, I welcome them.

Thanks, Cube.