Some of the best games out there tell compelling and interesting stories. We sit, glued to our screens, as the characters act out their dramas and the twists reveal themselves. These games are all well and good, but what about the games that give players the reins? Some games simply allow you to tell your own stories. They don’t have core narratives of their own; instead, they give you creative tools and a sandbox to explore and tell you to create your own fun.
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We’re here to celebrate those games today. They may not stand the test of time in terms of their storytelling, but you’ll struggle to find more popular games in terms of things other players have created. These are the games we love to play simply to see what the community will come up with next. From rhythm games to shooters, RPGs to horror games, these titles have inspired communities the world over to craft unforgettable experiences. Here are the 9 best games for creative gamers in 2019.
Roblox (PC)
Roblox describes its mission as “bring[ing]people together through play”, and we agree wholeheartedly. This game is all about its community. Some of the things the community creates in Roblox simply take our breath away. From fully-fledged Minecraft remakes to BioShock-inspired underwater horror biomes, if you can imagine it, Roblox has done it. If you’re a creative gamer, you need to get started with this. New to Roblox? Just click here to get a headstart.
Minecraft (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the game that arguably started the sandbox craze. Minecraft is an odd duck; it’s a voxel-based creative sandbox that does have a central survival structure but that is also far better known for its creative mode. Like other games on this list, community creations for Minecraft have been staggering. Just exploring some of the virtual worlds the community has created in this game is more rewarding than many triple-A narrative-focused games.
Fortnite (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
The core of Fortnite isn’t actually its creative features. Instead, it’s all about the battle royale aspect. Up to a hundred players are dropped onto a map and must forage for weapons and crafting materials. The winner is the player who’s left at the end. Where the creativity comes in is that you can construct your own forts, structures, and other things to help you in your bid for victory. The new Fortnite Creative initiative bids young creatives to construct things in the game that are awe-inspiring.
Cities: Skylines (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Remember SimCity? Cities: Skylines certainly does. Colossal Order’s city-building game is a true throwback to the glory days of SimCity and offers the same sense of civic catharsis. No matter what you might want to put in a city, you’ll find it here. The breadth and depth of customisation are remarkable; you can build a city however you want and wherever you want, and the game’s robust engine will accommodate you. It’s also a weirdly relaxing game, so perfect for playing at night.
Garry’s Mod (PC)
There are no rules in Garry’s Mod. It’s a physics-based sandbox that gives you the tools and options to create your own story then lets you loose to do just that. The game started life as a Half-Life 2 mod, as the name might suggest, and has since become its own entity. Creations in Garry’s Mod are frequently as hilarious as they are terrifying. The only limit to what you can create in this game is your own imagination. Give this a try if you love creativity in games.
Source Filmmaker (PC)
Alright, so technically Source Filmmaker isn’t actually a game. Rather, it’s a video capture and editing tool that works with any game utilising Valve’s proprietary Source engine. This means, though, that you can capture footage from any of Valve’s games, as well as any other games using this engine. Source Filmmaker is almost unmatched as a creativity tool; you can use it in conjunction with Garry’s Mod to create truly inspired and weird things.
Terraria (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
It’s 2D Minecraft. There, we got the inevitable comparison out of the way early. The truth is that while Terraria might bear a passing resemblance to Mojang’s game – it’s a sandbox in which you can gather resources, craft materials, and engage with a procedurally generated world – the truth is that Terraria does more than enough to feel like its own game. With unique biomes, a cute 2D art style, and a brief dalliance with Metroidvania mechanics, Terraria is worth a look for any Minecraft fan.
Space still holds an endless fascination for humanity. Most of us will probably never get to actually go up into space, so the next best thing we can hope for is games like Astroneer. Your objective here is to colonise every planet in the solar system, and to do so you’re given an endless array of crafting tools, terraforming trinkets, and survival necessities. Since the game was in Early Access, its community has been creating incredible things on its procedurally-generated planets.
Satisfactory (PC)
Did you love Factorio, but wish it was just a little less random? Satisfactory is the game for you. Some have described Satisfactory as “conveyor belt porn”, and it’s hard to argue with that assessment. Coffee Stain Studios’ game will have you building massively elaborate networks of conveyor belts and other factory components in order to funnel creations to the totally-not-sinister Ficsit corporation. It’s in Early Access, so it’s a tad rough around the edges, but it’s still unmissable for creatives.
