Farming simulators are a beloved genre of game for most players, as there is often a lot more to them than just farming. This goes double for simulators with a sandbox element, as a lot more can be customized to the player's liking. With only a few major ones on the market, though, players might not feel like there are many options beyond that.

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This isn't true, however, as there are many games of this style available. There are even more with a different and quirky take on what farming actually entails. Finding the right one can still be difficult, though!

10 Farming Simulator 22

Metascore: 75

For players seeking a serious and in-depth farming experience, they should look no further than Farming Simulator 22. Players can choose where their farm will be, experience the diverse American environment, or go further afield to build the farm of their dreams. This game really is all about farming and the various activities that it entails in its most conventional form. This installment includes the vital addition of weather and seasons for even more realistic farming.

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Farming Simulator 22 is a faithful sandbox game dedicated to the art of farming.

9 Farm Together

Metascore: 77

For players seeking something a bit different, Farm Together is a good option. A cutesy, multiplayer farming simulator, players start from scratch on a small plot of land and can enlist the help of others to build it up into the farm of their dreams. Time constantly advances in the game, even when it's not running, so players will have more to do every time they load in.

Farm Together is a multiplayer sandbox game with endless potential for huge farms with lots to do.

8 Staxel

Metascore: 61

Staxel is an excellent option for players looking for a peaceful farming experience with the option for exploration as well. Players can edit their surroundings however they see fit and can even invite friends to help with the farm. The village in Staxel can be nurtured or abandoned based on how the player interacts with it or ignores it.

Staxel is a fun farming sandbox sim with a lot to it, and it is a brilliant option for players looking for a lesser-known game within the genre.

7 Roots Of Pacha

Metascore: 82

Roots Of Pacha is a quirky and enjoyable sandbox farming simulator set in the Stone Age. Players can explore and gather vegetables and herbs before discovering how to grow them and unlock the tools that changed that period of history. Like most farming simulators, there is a community to discover (here, it is a clan) and love can be found. The relationships are a vital part of what makes the game fun.

Roots Of Pacha is an in-depth and surprisingly educational farming sandbox simulator for players to try out.

6 Kynseed

Metascore: 86

Kynseed is a game that takes inspiration from the well-loved Fable series. Farming is only a part of what is on offer here, but it is an essential part of the experience, as players will need the resources on their land and can choose to develop it however they want. There is adventuring to be done and townspeople to protect, but all of this must be managed with the farm and the business players will run from it. Once the player character dies, the character's child takes over, meaning that the world of Kynseed can continue to be enjoyed.

Kynseed is a fantastic and beautiful farming and life simulator for players who love the fantasy genre.

5 Grow: Song Of The Evertree

Metascore: 79

Grow: Song Of The Evertree is a creative and colorful farming sandbox for players to explore. Players take on the role of the last ancestral protector of The Evertree, an ancient tree holding worlds on its branches. Players can take the world at their own pace, fishing and farming and changing the world around them as they edit the town itself. There are mysteries to explore along with the more standard farming simulator activities.

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Grow: Song Of The Evertree is a truly enjoyable and exciting farming sandbox sim.

4 Slime Rancher

Metascore: 81

The farming in Slime Rancher may look a bit different from what players might expect. There are no 'normal' animals to farm and no 'normal' crops to harvest. Instead, players take on the role of a lone rancher watching over slimes and must farm food for them and build up their farms as much as they see fit. This game has an exploration element, too, with a vast open-world waiting when players need a break from the ranch.

Slime Rancher is a delightful sandbox farming sim with an engaging twist.

3 Coral Island

Metascore: N/A

Coral Island is a delightfully charming early-access game for players to explore. Gamers begin with an overrun plot of land and transform it into the ideal farm while exploring the town and getting to know the townspeople and possibly romancing one of them. There are expanded customization options for the player characters, allowing everyone to feel represented. There is more to the game than this, though, as there are exploration opportunities and a theme of environmentalism.

Coral Island is already incredibly fleshed out, and there is more regularly added to the game for players to explore.

2 My Time At Portia

Metascore: 75

My Time At Portia is a post-apocalyptic offering for players not looking for the usual rustic and old-fashioned nature of average farming simulators. Players transform the derelict workshop on their land into one of the best and help the locals rebuild the town, all while keeping up with the farming. The homestead can be customized with craftable objects that actually impact stats and can improve the effectiveness of farm buildings.

For a quirky and in-depth farming (and more) sandbox sim, My Time At Portia is a brilliant option. The 2023 sequel, My Time At Sandrock, is also great and an easy recommendation for fans of the first game.

1 Stardew Valley

Metascore: 89

Stardew Valley is the gold standard for sandbox farming simulators, and it isn't difficult to see why. Transforming the farm into a blossoming and beautiful homestead takes time, and the farming initially takes a lot of time out of the game day. However, it is absolutely worth it to get to know the people living in the Valley and develop relationships with each one. As time moves on, players unlock more and more of the world and can change even more aspects of the homestead.

Stardew Valley is a time-sink, but it is a thoroughly in-depth and enjoyable one. That is what makes it the best sandbox farming sim available for players today.

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