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SANDBOX TRAIL GUIDE / THE OPEN WORKBENCH

Build your next
obsession.

A practical workbench for builders, explorers and system tinkerers. Find the game that gives your ideas room.

PROJECT EXPLORER / 01—03
PROJECT 01 / Against the StormAgainst the Storm
PROJECT 02 / DorfromantikDorfromantik
PROJECT 03 / Into the BreachInto the Breach

Project brief / 01

Against the Storm

Settlement strategyLong

A rich settlement manager that keeps the difficult establishment phase at the centre. Varied populations and production options reward adaptable plans, provided repeated rebuilding is part of the appeal.

8.7/10Well built
Read the review →

FOUR TOOLKITS / TWELVE POSSIBILITIES

THE BUILDING BLOCKS

Find your next project

Updated 4 November 2026 · 12 games · 5 scoring criteria

Showing 3 of 12

Mini Metro

Mini Metro

8.8/10Well built

Strategy

A sharply focused transit builder that makes the network itself the construction project. Its clean diagram supports meaningful operational decisions, with continual growth preventing a tidy plan from remaining finished.

Read review
Loop Hero

Loop Hero

8.3/10Well built

Deckbuilding strategy

An unusual builder in which the landscape is both an opportunity and a threat. Terrain relationships and camp development reward careful system design, although indirect control and resource repetition can slow the process.

Read review
Mini Motorways

Mini Motorways

8.2/10Well built

Strategy

An engaging infrastructure workshop where every road has an operational consequence. Rapid construction and visible traffic make redesign rewarding, while uncontrolled growth keeps the city from becoming a permanent blueprint.

Read review

OPTIONS THAT MATTER

Assist & accessibility

Dorfromantik

Check the control scheme and settings on the official game page before choosing your setup.

Into the Breach

Check the control scheme and settings on the official game page before choosing your setup.

Frostpunk

Check the control scheme and settings on the official game page before choosing your setup.

See all 12 games →
FTL: Faster Than Light

Check the control scheme and settings on the official game page before choosing your setup.

Mini Motorways

Check the control scheme and settings on the official game page before choosing your setup.

Wildfrost

Check the control scheme and settings on the official game page before choosing your setup.

Mini Metro

Check the control scheme and settings on the official game page before choosing your setup.

Loop Hero

Check the control scheme and settings on the official game page before choosing your setup.

THE SHAPE OF THE JOURNEY

How long is it?

Editorial length bands describe the scope of a game. Optional goals and your own pace can change the journey.

See all 12 games →

Make an informed choice.

How we score →

Five criteria. One consistent editorial score.

Questions, answered →

Find out how the catalogue and your journal work.

Keep play comfortable →

Practical guidance for breaks, settings and purchases.

Your comparison

Official trailer

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