Gamers play sandbox games according to their preference. These games include structured elements – such as mini-games, tasks, submissions and storylines – that may be ignored by gamers. In fact, the sandbox game’s nonlinear nature creates storyline challenges for game designers. For this reason, tasks and side missions usually follow a progression, where tasks are unlocked upon successful task completion.

Sandbox game types vary. Massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) generally include a mixture of sandbox and progression gaming and heavily depend on emergent interactive user gameplay for retaining non-progression-focused gamers. Modern “beat ’em ups” and first-person shooters have delved more deeply into the sandbox realm with titles like the “Grand Theft Auto” series, “Red Dead Redemption,” “Assassin’s Creed” and others, allowing gamers to run and gun wherever the mood takes them.

In spite of their name, various sandbox games continue to impose restrictions at some stages of the game environment. This can be due the game’s design limitations, or can be short-run, in-game limitations, such as some locked areas in games that are unlocked once certain milestones are achieved.

So basicaly it is an open-worl game where you have freedom to explore,do your influence,change the situation in some part of that world.It means a game where the player is not given any set objectives or instructions and is given the tools to craft their own gameplay out of their imagination.

There are very few limits like maps,weapons, and abilities which is why you play the game.