Kynseed - 2D sandbox adventure prototype from ex-Lionhead Fable devs

Something for everyone this week and it continues with the prototype indie game ' Kynseed ' which is being developed by a couple of ex-Lionhead Fable devs 'PixelCount Studios', and is available to download as a very early version for the PC. Classed as a 2D sandbox adventure with RPG elements, this prototype puts you in control of a young lad that is working on the family farm. You can walk around, explore the lush landscape, go fishing and even be pulled in by the lovely sound of bee's!

Deadwood: the Forgotten Curse - Zelda-esqe Kickstarter and Greenlight Campaign

Steamroller Studios are presenting their first game 'Deadwood' as an indie studio of film and game industry, and what a beauty it is. Consisting of a team made of game and film industry pros, they are hoping to bring you a Zelda-esqe run around adventure with the painterly styling similar to Braid.

Hunter HD - Action/Adventure classic gets a remake!

Let's go back in time, right back to 1991 when Activsion released 'Hunter' for the Amiga and Atari ST. An action-adventure game that by today's view point would be classed as a Battlefield 4, Grand Theft Auto and Far Cry mix. Expansive, open worlds, a military theme, and the focus on small squads of soldiers or lone heroes. A high grade 3D game with sandbox-type game play, developed by Paul Holmes and music by Martin Walker. If you remember the title, you'll be very pleased to know that there is now a Hunter HD (Fan Remake) proof-of-concept that is in the works by Cherno, that is also playable in your browser right now.

SkySaga - Minecraft style MMO reaches Alpha 2 stage!

Only just last month we announced "SkySaga"; A fantastic looking Minecraft style multiplayer game by Radiant Worlds which is currently going through early Alpha testing. Today's announcement is that SkySaga has now reached an Alpha 2 stage and is available for closed testing by invite through registration. A lovely game indeed which I was able to test last night. As it features new lands to discover such as sea, snow, sand, fields and mountains where you can create, build, dig, harvest trade and much much more. SkySaga really is full of charm and immersive detail that I actually preferred over Minecraft. I just hope they put in a bigger FOV and Mouse Acceleration settings.

Starbound - Terraria in space gets a big Winter update trailer!

We haven't featured Starbound for a very long time, as although it was one of my favourite games during it's release it did became very stale afterwards and I hadn't touched it since. But the developers are hoping to bring new life into the Terraria style space game with a brand new Winter update, with a very big list of features. From the developers of Terraria, the hit Action, Adventure, Rpg game which sold over 50,000 copies will be patched with new features such as : A new playable race, hundreds of new items, personal ship AI, ship upgrades, new tech systems, new biomes, warp gates, improved status systems, quests, missions and much much more. See trailer!

Lakeview Cabin Collection - A horror-com sandbox puzzler goes looking for greenlight votes

Roope Tamminen AKA hypnohustler is graduating his flash sandbox, puzzle solving, horror adventure "Lakeview Cabin" into a full blown desktop release and is looking for Greenlight support votes for a group of sequels. The pixel-art style has been given the boot, being replaced with a smooth cartoony vector style, while the scope goes from just a single player character on a small section of lakeside, to taking control of multiple characters a-la Day of the Tentacle across several horror genres and locations, from the original lakeside log cabin to Aliens style in space.

Contested Space: Pledge through Kickstarter to build an empire in a sandbox space!

What if you could create your own ships, your own space stations, your own fleets and then expand across the stars, well you can in Contested Space. A new sandbox space empire game from Contested Space Corporation that mixes action oriented ship combat with creativity and community. A game with a unique style in the fact that it looks like Homeworld smashed through a lego blender. Builld your empire, play with friends and dominate the stars. Contested Space is up for funding through Kickstarter and needs $26,000 to be a success! Available for PC, Mac, and Linux coming Nov 2014.

Build & Defend‏ - Build a fortress and defend it at all costs in this Survival Sandbox style game from Achoum (+Demo)

I've just been informed by the developer Archoum (also known as Mathieu Guillame-Bert) that his fun looking game Build & Defend is now available for purchase. In Build & Defend your goal is to find resources, build the best fortress you can, set it up for defence, while discovering new technologies before the menacing hordes attack. This game has a striking similarity to Minecraft, while giving a nod to both Dwarf Fortress and according to the developer Zelda 3. I have fond memories of games like Castles and Rampart and this looks to fill that gap, and as you can even play with friends it's a worthy purchase for any Castle/Fortress builder! If playing with friends isn't your thing, you can thank the little bear like creatures who will help you later on. But the question remains, can your fortress withstand the onslaught?

Release : Today : Price : $9.90 Systems : PC,Mac,Linux

Craft the World - Dungeon Keeper, Terraria and Dwarf Fortress in a full filled mash up

Game Type : Strategy
Developer :  Black Maple Game/Dekovir Entertaiment

Game Info Quote : Craft The World is a unique sandbox strategy game, the mix of Dungeon Keeper, Terraria and Dwarf Fortress. Explore a random generated world populated by dangerous creatures, build a dwarf fortress, gather resources, and craft all the items, weapons, and armor you need.

Release : Early access available - £11.99
Systems : PC, Mac

Erth - A large 2D Sandbox RPG that's free to play (Open Beta)

Game Genre :  RPG
Developer : Lemoncreme
Game Info Quote : Erth is a large 2D Sandbox RPG Exploration Top-Down Turn-Based Adventure game where you explore an infinite world socializing, exploring, fighting, mining and building! The game features a fully-fledged crafting and inventory system with over 400 items, along with over 200 crafts! The world is split into 64x64 areas that you can explore! There are also tons of enemies, biomes, materials, and more!
Systems : PC
Release : Now, Free

Isomer - Inspired by classic XCOM and other more recent sandbox style games (Alpha)

Game Genre : RTS
Developer : Ionising
Game Info : Isomer is an isometric realtime strategy game inspired by classic XCOM and other more recent sandbox style games.It's open ended, designed to be played in a variety of ways with world exploration, survival, crafting and strategy all blended together. Build up your forces by trading resources for reinforcements with passing resupply ships and mutate your troops into specialist units from scouts to warriors. Enemy forces attack periodically in an attempt to destroy your bases and facilities. How long can you survive?

Release : Alpha, £5.99
Systems : PC

Starbound - What's in the pipeline for this fantastic in space Terraria game

Game Type : Adventure, Sandbox, Creation, RPG
Developer : Chucklefish
Update Info : This is one addictive game, there is nothing like traversing the stars, mining for resources, creating new items, buildings and fighting bad guys with tons of planet to explore! This is Starbound, and the latest news from the developers is a very impressive list of upcoming features they hope to implement during it's development. As the game is still in development, you'll be helping to test and provide up to date info to the developers that need to be fixed or added in. If you loved Terraria you'll love this game!

Starbound - The BIG wipe, latest patch 3 release

Game Type : Adventure, Sandbox, Creation, RPG
Developer : Chucklefish
Update Info : After many days of waiting and wondering, would there be a wipe with the next patch for this super sandbox creation game Starbound. Today we found out that yes there is a wipe. But that wipe comes with a glorious patch that fixes not just the leveling of the game but adds brand new weapons, new items and much more. So even though there is a high chance your old character and universe is gone, this game is so addictive it doesn't really matter. Loading up Steam will apply the patch!

Maia - Sci-fi strategy inspired by Dungeon Keeper (Steam Early Access)

Game Type : Strategy, Creation, Management
Developer : Simon Roth
Kickstarter Success :  £140,481 pledged of a £100,042 goal
Game Info Quote : Maia is a colony building game set in the not-so-distant future. Your colonists make planetfall on a hostile world and you must ensure their survival and their safety, constructing their off-world habitat from almost nothing and sheltering them from a dangerous, often deadly environment. Taking inspiration from games as diverse as Dungeon Keeper, Theme Hospital and The Sims, Maia also draws from 1970s sci fi aesthetic and features a healthy dose of dry, dark humour. It's a mix of strategy, management, construction and terrible deaths on a distant world. Not everyone is up to the task of off-world colony command. Are you?
Release : TBA, Steam Early Access £13.48
Systems : PC, Mac, Linux

Darkout - Sandbox creation on a menacing landscape, out now on Steam!

Game Type : Adventure, Sandbox, Creation, RPG, Platformer
Developer : Allgraf
Game Info Quote : Crashed and alone on a world mankind tried to leave behind, Darkout challenges players to survive on Illuna, in harsh, procedurally generated biomes, utilizing the game’s sandbox features to build shelters, craft weapons, and research new technologies. You are not alone. Light-sensitive creatures prowling the landscapes become most active at night and in a world shrouded by clouds the security of day will never come, instead, twilight periods allow players minor security to explore, rebuild, and gather resources.
Release : Today ( £8.49 save 15% )
Systems : PC

Starbound - Move over Terraria, it's time to head for the stars as the beta releases today!

Game Type : Adventure, Sandbox, Creation, RPG
Developer : Chucklefish
Game Info Quote : In Starbound you’ll encounter procedurally generated creatures and weapons, discover populated villages and abandoned temples. Explore planets dotted with dungeons, eyeball trees and treasure. Make use of over a hundred materials and over one thousand in-game objects to build a sprawling modern metropolis or a sleepy secluded cabin in the woods, and do all of it alone or with friends! Starbound lets you live out your own story of space exploration, discovery and adventure. Settle down and farm the land, hop from planet to planet claiming resources, or make regular visits to populated settlements, taking on jobs and earning a living and much much more!
Update Info : Many gamers around the world have been constantly smacking that F5 button as today the beta is due to be released. A beta of a game that has a big brother to look up to and that was Terraria, a game that was so popular it sold many many copies, it was worldly popular. Think of it as Minecraft in a 2D way, the ability to do what you wanted and create what you want, either on your own or with your friends. But enough about that, when is it due? Beta keys will be released at 10 am PST, which means Europeans have to wait until 6-8pm. But while we wait, check out the latest beta trailer!
Release : TBA (Beta today)
Systems : PC, Mac, Linux

Windforge - A Contra and Terraria mash up (Kickstarter/Steam Greenlight)

Game Type : Action, Adventure, Platformer, Sandbox, RPG

Kickstarter Goal : $50,000

Developer :  Snowed In Studios Inc.
Developer Game Quote : Windforge is a 2D building block RPG that seamlessly combines gameplay like Contra with the freedom and building of Minecraft. Build airships and explore hostile skies in an ever changing Steampunk world. Everything you see can be created or destroyed, yielding an RPG without barriers that rewards creative problem solving and improvisation.

Release : March 2014
Systems : PC

Crea - Another Terraria style game appears on Steam Greenlight! (Kickstarter Success)

Game Type : Adventure, Platformer, RPG, Sandbox Creation
Developer : Siege Games
Kickstarter Success : $27,870 raised of a $15,000 goal
Game Info Quote : Crea is an easily moddable, 2D sandbox game with a lighthearted mood, colorful art and RPG elements. Furthering the emerging sandbox genre, Crea (pronounced "KREE-uh") features combat and crafting in randomly generated, fantasy-style worlds for you to explore, tear apart and build back up. Crea differentiates itself in many ways such as RPG-style character progression, day one mod support and a charming art style.
Release : Early 2014
Systems : PC, Mac, Linux

Eden Star - Destroy, build, protect in this survival-creation game (Kickstarter)

Game Type : Survival
Developer/Project By : Flix Interactive
Developer Quote : A sandbox survival-creation game like no other, with innovative physics based combat and an ultra interactive, destructible world.
Kickstarter Goal : £620,000
Game Info Quote : Eden Star is an immersive first-person, survival-creation game; blending unique physics-based combat, destructible environments, freeform construction, resource management and completely dynamic, freerunning navigation. Excavate resources from the world of Pharus 7 in order to fund the expansion and development of unique and powerful technologies as you create, destroy and manipulate the world around you.
Release : June 2015
Systems : PC, Other(?)

Project Zomboid - The best top down Zombie based sandbox now for Steam!

Game Type : Top Down Survival RPG
Developer : The Indie Stone
Developer Quote : The time has come! To make it clear, we are NOT currently available on Steam Early Access, however Desura customers of Project Zomboid are able to redeem Steam Keys. The version that's on Steam is effectively build 17, since the only build possible to use was one with Steam integration we couldn't upload the last Desura build, or forum test 16, So please don't consider this an official release.
Game Info Quote : Project Zomboid is an open-ended zombie-infested sandbox. It asks one simple question – how will you die? Whether surviving in Knox County free-roam or controlling Indie Stone mascot Baldspot in his quest to save his injured wife Kate – death is always a certainty. Quite how long you manage to put it off is another matter…
Release : NOW (Desura+Steam Key £4.99)
Systems : PC