Video games often serve as a great outlet for boundary-pushing concepts and imaginative ideas. This is especially true for open-world titles, as this template usually allows for more freedom, thus bringing more obscure and bizarre traits. When gamers think of sandbox titles, it's often more standard RPGs or adventures such as Minecraft or Assassin's Creed that come to mind. Still, there have been more than a few examples of real oddities on the open-world front.
From strange storylines to unique gameplay concepts, there are some delightfully weird sandbox games that manage to change the game while raising some eyebrows.
10 Brutal Legend
Take a colorful fantasy premise, inject some hard rock and a guitar-strumming protagonist voiced by Jack Black—and this zany action-adventure is the result. These motifs would be strange enough, though the weirdness is really dialed up to 11 as this rock odyssey progresses. This is solidified by some wacky dialogue and cameos from the likes of Rob Halford, Ozzy Osbourne, and Lita Ford.
Players assume the role of the "Greatest Roadie of All-Time" Eddie Riggs, as he embarks on a journey to save humanity from various dark overlords. He'll spend much of the quest zipping about in his customizable hot rod, commanding head-banging troops, and wielding a shredding Flying V that doubles as a battle axe.
9 Dead Rising 4
Zombie aficionados, Capcom established a wacky formula right off the bat with the original Dead Rising back in 2006, as players were given free rein to hack, shoot, and steamroll their way through undead hordes swarming a mall. As if the original Dead Rising's journey of dumbbell-bashing and stuffed bear tossing wasn't bonkers enough, DR4 ups the ante when it comes to the chaotic gameplay.
A bizarre lineup of customizable weapons manages to dwarf previous entries—which range from amusing Fish Launchers to electric axes. Add a slew of fun vehicles and the hero-augmenting Exosuit, and it's easy to see why this zombie-slayer is the wildest in the series.
8 Fe
Some of the most interesting and abstract games have come from the indie scene; a trait reinforced by this 3D platformer from Zoink. Fe paradoxically intrigues with its minimalism and visual storytelling, as players explore a stylized wilderness with more puzzles than enemies.
Players embark on this ambiguous quest as a fox-like creature, who must solve puzzles and communicate with other animals, whilst avoiding robotic pursuers. The fuzzy hero's only real weapons lie in their evasiveness and musical howls; the crux of this serenading ride.
7 Slender: The Eight Pages
With this survival horror—based on the creepy legend of the forest-dwelling Slender Man—Parsec Productions manages to spook players with very few bells and whistles. There's no excessive gore or even particularly dark themes in this semi-open-world romp; only the eerie atmosphere of dark, desolate woods, and the unnerving notion of being hunted by the ever-silent creature.
Players are tasked with exploring the woods and nabbing a handful of music pages hidden about. The catch? This must be achieved while avoiding run-ins with the Slender Man. As the creepy manifestation appears and progress is reached, the player is plagued with grainy distortion and fog. Despite being passive and minimal, The Eight Pages somehow succeeds in being a thoroughly scary trip.
6 Saint's Row 4
With this explosive rendition of Saints Row, studio Volition seems hellbent on differentiating itself from its once-comparable rival Grand Theft Auto. This can really be seen in its off-the-wall premise, which is an unapologetically campy satire of sci-fi action—think Matrix fused with Independence Day.
The leader of the Saints street gang is elevated to President, and, with the help of his Saints cohorts, must fend off alien invaders who have placed them in a realistic city simulation. Of course, any semblance of "realism" flies out the window when players are granted the powers to shoot fire and ice - and wield weapons that induce dancing and alien abduction.
5 Xenoblade Chronicles 2
JRPGs are no stranger to strange, boundary-pushing elements—as the genre often stresses colorful fantasy and creative themes. But even more so than its hit predecessor, Monolith Soft takes these unique traits to new heights with Xenoblade Chronicles 2's trippy setting of Alrest.
The game literally goes above and beyond with regards to locales, ditching the Bionis and Mechonis—two god-like giants that comprise large landmasses. Instead, the game takes place in an expansive sea of clouds brimming with floating Titans; revolving around the huge "World Tree." This grand, imaginative premise sets the stage for a truly epic, ethereal journey.
4 Super Mario Odyssey
Nintendo's iconic platforming series has always been quite bizarre on multiple levels. It channels that Alice in Wonderland vibe of "tumbling down the rabbit hole" into strange, colorful lands unknown. But Mario's open-world adventure on Switch truly takes the cake when it comes to weirdness.
From the diversity of kingdoms—which range from a food volcano to the moon—to the weird baddies and 2D game transitions, there's little that isn't abstract in Super Mario Odyssey. But the coupe de gras might be the plumber hero's main weapon—an anthropomorphic hat that allows Mario to control most any foe it touches.
3 We Happy Few
This twist on a survival horror by Compulsion Games is quite literally a bizarre trip through a fantasy land. Channeling dystopian tales like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four, the aptly named We Happy Few features three antiheroes trying to survive a war-torn England and avoid heat from authorities.
In this dark alternate history, evil has triumphed and SS troops patrol a downtrodden population. Citizens are propped up and blinded by mandated drugs that bring false happiness and literal color to a dull, depressing world. While tainted by equally strange game bugs and rough-around-the-edges design, We Happy Few is a gripping and unnerving journey.
2 Bum Simulator
In one corner, there's Change: A Homeless Survival Experience. This game faithfully and sincerely seeks to simulate the homeless experience, bringing awareness to the community as well as mental health. On the other? The far wackier—and some might say tasteless—Bum Simulator.
This off-the-wall sandbox game plays largely as its name implies. Players assume the role of a downtrodden inhabitant of "Bumsville," who spends much of his time cobbling together a makeshift home—along with tossing bottles at people, vandalizing property, and "weaponizing pigeons." While currently in early access, Bum Simulator already seems set for being one of the goofiest, most lude open-world romps to date.
1 Tres Lunas
More an interactive music sim than a video game, 2002's Tres Lunas (Three Moons in Spanish) remains distinct despite its age. The notion of a musician releasing a game could be considered peculiar in and of itself, as British musician Mike Oldfield uses VR as a vehicle to release his 21st album.
Tres Lunas allows players to explore vast landscapes set to complementary new-age tracks while collecting rings and absorbing the celestial atmosphere. There are few more unusual gaming experiences than this experimental project; open-world or otherwise.