Game Franchises you want to be given the "Open World Sandbox" Treatment

[aozgolo]

Obviously this excludes any franchise that already falls under the mantle of Open World Sandbox. What game franchises do you think would be awesome to see a new entry done up in a totally open freeform environment that let you totally play your own way?

Let me know your ideas, and for further clarification these are the definitions we will be using:

Open World: A large seamless transition playable map largely devoid of invisible walls or impassable waist high fences that is conducive to a non-linear mission structure.

Sandbox: An environment that rewards a player's curiosity by providing a high degree of customization, interaction, and free-form mission structure that allows variance in achieving it's objectives.


Go!

 

[Fireaxe]

I'd kind of like a Sandbox Pokemon world. Beyond that I'm not really able to think of any worlds I'd like as a Sandbox.

 

[OrpheusTelos]

To be honest, I can't really think of any game series that would benefit in any way by adopting an open world/sandbox structure... I actually think it might inhibit them a little bit.

It's something I've been thinking about lately, I vastly prefer games with a linear structure that still have some optional content and exploration. In my experience these open-world games tend to feel a little less... hand-crafted, I suppose? Like something's missing and I'm left with a crapton of side objectives without a really solid sense of direction.

That's just me, though. I have no beef with people who do enjoy these sorts of games, of course.

 

[FrozenLaughs]

Pong would be pretty cool sandboxed.

 

[Tahaneira]

Overlord.

Here is your hulking, heavily armored, magic-spewing (though ideally more mobile) evil Dark Lord-type.

Here is your varied swarm of small, easily-replaced, hyperactively destructive minions.

Here is a kingdom of unsuspecting innocent villagers.

Go forth!

 

[Zhukov]

Mirror's Edge.

I often don't like sandboxes because most of your time is spent commuting between the interesting bits. However, in a game where movement is the central mechanic, that could actually be fun.

Luckily, I think I'm actually getting my wish with this one.

 

[Hero of Lime]

Only if it were done extremely well, The Legend of Zelda. I'm not much into sandbox games, but Zelda games usually are full of great side quests and locations, and a game packed to the brim with those would be amazing. The best way to do it would be to set it either outside of Hyrule in a new huge land, or make Hyrule just one of the places one could go.

Perhaps the wonderfully named Lorule could be a destination.

 

[Cabisco]

I'm finding it quite hard to think of a game that would be amazing with a shift towards a sandbox that doesn't already do that. Perhaps if Dishonoured moved further towards true open world? So you'd actually have to travel around the city rather than just big individual areas, maybe into areas filled with civilians where you'd have to try to blend in (not sure how that'd work with the whole mask/hey look it's corvo thing).

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Despite everyone going to say but the main point of the game was to be linear, Metro 2033. Wasteland Moscow is just so beautiful and dangerous and full of life and reasons to explore it. Messing around with gasmasks and skirmishes from mutants is the best part of Metro.

One of the DLCs in Metro Last Light came with a quasi open world mission to it, and I hear it was a lot of fun and good stuff. I wouldn't know, I didn't get the DLC.

 

[Battenberg]

It's not so much a franchise I'd like to see use an open world setting as a game I wish already had but I think The Last of Us would have been mroe fun from a gameplay point of view if it has been open world. That said I imagine the story would have taken a hit as they typically do.

Alternatively I think maybe the Resi franchise could benefit from open world for the next game. Perhaps it could on a survivor(/survivors) in Raccoon City. As far as horror goes that series has lot all reputation in my books, might as well try a new direction.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I'm finding it quite hard to think of a game that would be amazing with a shift towards a sandbox that doesn't already do that. Perhaps if Dishonoured moved further towards true open world? So you'd actually have to travel around the city rather than just big individual areas, maybe into areas filled with civilians where you'd have to try to blend in (not sure how that'd work with the whole mask/hey look it's corvo thing).

Ever since I saw the Bethesda logo, that was what I wanted, a steampunk freeworld game with lots of cool inventions and moderately better characters than appeared in Dishonored. The combat and stealth would've worked so well too, since it was easily the most engaging part of Dishonored, save for the spirit of Dunwall.

Well, then it was a linear hub-based game. I didn't get far because I couldn't get away with what I wanted Dishonored to be.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Not really a franchise but once I would've loved a Cowboy Bebop sandbox. We have a shoot and a beat 'em up so far (farely obscure though), but I always thought a sandbox would fit Bebop wonderfully. There'd be a main story campaign with "plot missions" and there'd be the optional bounties and such. In line with the show's premise, cash would be hard to come by, and repairs/gas/food would take up most of the cash anyway. So you'd have to balance out expenses and bounties constantly while floating in the Bebop, which would be the main HUB. For cities we could have Tarnis (Mars), Ganymede, Jupiter from Jupiter Jaz... enemy syndicates there was at least three, I remember Red Dragon, Blue (something) and White Tiger... we already have a world drug (Red Eye), an effective bounty system, the ISSP could step in... I dunno, all the elements are out there. Just make the damn game already.

 

[Cabisco]

I'm finding it quite hard to think of a game that would be amazing with a shift towards a sandbox that doesn't already do that. Perhaps if Dishonoured moved further towards true open world? So you'd actually have to travel around the city rather than just big individual areas, maybe into areas filled with civilians where you'd have to try to blend in (not sure how that'd work with the whole mask/hey look it's corvo thing).

Ever since I saw the Bethesda logo, that was what I wanted, a steampunk freeworld game with lots of cool inventions and moderately better characters than appeared in Dishonored. The combat and stealth would've worked so well too, since it was easily the most engaging part of Dishonored, save for the spirit of Dunwall.

Well, then it was a linear hub-based game. I didn't get far because I couldn't get away with what I wanted Dishonored to be.

I'm hoping that with the relative success of Dishonoured that a sequel might be made which actually does this, one can hope anyway as I think it's the best chance we have of truly fantastic steampunk themed open world.

 

[Rebel_Raven]

It's not really a franchise, but Remember Me would do well with it, I think. The world looks beautiful, and the game needs to be able to realize it's potential.

 

[aozgolo]

Very interesting responses guys!

Personally I'd love to see Oddworld be given the Open World Sandbox treatment. The game series is already known for a strong emphasis on environmental & NPC interaction. The setting alone would be amazing to translate to a massive open experience just due to the amazing locations and very detailed critters you encounter.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

oddly I can't think of many GAME franchises that would work as many of them aren't sandboxes for a reason. even going with the spinoff treatment I can't really see it. I can think of a few media franchises that could be adapted to sandbox videogames. One of my favorite candidates would be Ghost in the Shell since all that would be needed is to turn it into a Deus Ex game.

 

[wulfy42]

The Grandia series franchise...in fact, I think they were going to make a Grandia MMO and it got canceled.

I think that is too bad as the world...and combat system where great, and could easily have been expanded on to make an open world/sandbox type system. Tons more eggs to find, more levels to obtain per egg, different base classes to play, add in the ability to bring over cross class skills from other classes (and eggs) etc.

Keep the same fun strategy type of combat with interupts etc as well.....merging action based and strategic combat.

If you made it an MMO you could also add in PvP and multiple players vs enivironment (large bosses where multiple players fight as a team) etc.

Could be a blast.

 

[DementedSheep]

Hmmm I actually can?t think of any that aren't already open world or near enough to it. Open world games tend to lose all sense of urgency and be more about just exploring which can be great but its not something every game should have
Even Mirrors Edge which always seem come up in these threads. I think being a open wold sandbox might actually harm it, more so than most games in fact since focused high speed chases was where it shone and it was more about pulling off moves flawlessly to get the best time than exploration. Perhaps a large main hub with major missions taking place in their own hub to get the best of both worlds.

 

[Strelok]

Ghostbusters, I would have so loved it if the last game was an open world sandbox, would have been heaven. Who knows, maybe next time. Also would have been nice in Metro 2033 to see the world of the book more fleshed out, visit some of the stations only whispered about. Not sure how well that would have worked. Anyway both games were still great.