Universe Sandbox ²

Space has always been fascinating for people, so it has been featured in countless novels, movies, and of course, games. In Universe Sandbox, you don’t get to fight aliens and defend the human race, but there sure is a lot of space exploration for you to do in this game.

Graphics 5/5

Being a space simulator, Universe Sandbox has to have good graphics, and fortunately, the game is amazing in this respect. You can enjoy the beautiful backgrounds and add your own planets to them, creating new solar systems and bringing your own unique vision of outer space to life. What’s more, the visuals in Universe Sandbox are not only a pleasure to look at, but also incredibly realistic, featuring planets and other astronomical bodies that were modeled after real-life objects.

Gameplay 5/5

There is no story to go through in Universe Sandbox, and there are no bosses to beat. You don’t have to survive, become the best, or oversee the development of a civilization. Universe Sandbox gives you a blank canvas and you can paint it however you wish, but remember to obey the laws of gravity. Otherwise, your whole creation is going to be destroyed by the relentless force that’s holding it all together.

As you experiment with different objects, you’ll learn about the fundamental laws of gravity and get better at designing your creations so that they don’t get squished together or end up floating away from each other. You can even toss out different kinds of balls and dice into space to see how they’d interact with each other. The lack of story means that you’ll have to take matters into your own hands after the initial tutorial, but you can start out with some fan-submitted universes and slowly work your way up towards designing your own.

Controls 5/5

Since the game can also be played in VR, you get two types of controls. Of course, you do need a compatible headset and controllers to use the VR mode, but playing with just a mouse and a keyboard is fine, too. The controls in Universe Sandbox are precise and fluid, allowing you to manage, develop, and destroy your creations effortlessly.

Replay Value 5/5

There’s so much to do in Universe Sandbox, so it’ll take a while before you get bored with the game. With so many variable parameters, you can explore the power of gravity and other fundamental forces for hours. The only thing limiting you in this game is your own creativity, so let your imagination run wild and you’ll keep coming back to Universe Sandbox time and time again!

The Bottom Line

If you enjoy games that teach you something about the real world, Universe Sandbox is definitely going to be up your alley. The game is available for computers running on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux from Steam.

• Graphics 5
• Gameplay 5
• Controls 5
• Replay Value 5

Pros

Awesome graphics;
VR mode available;
Fun and educational.

Cons

No multiplayer;
No music or audio effects.