Yu Suzuki’s masterpiece, Shenmue was the first game to introduce (or to implement properly) the free roaming or sandbox gameplay to this industry. Suzuki coined a genre title, “FREE” (Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment), for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player. Then, Rockstar games carried on from where Shenmue has stopped and evolved the genre even more with the release of the first 3D GTA game on PS2, GTA 3.
 

Since that time, and the sandbox gameplay has set the videogames world on fire with the release of some of the biggest franchises in the industry. Without further ado, We here at VGarabia.com present to you top 10 most anticipated sandbox games in 2010 to 2012:
 

- Mafia II:
 
 

 
 

Mafia II is an upcoming sandbox-style third-person shooter video game which is the sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. It is being developed by 2K Czech, previously known as Illusion Softworks, and will be published by 2K Games.
 

Thee game will be set from 1945 and 1955 in Empire Bay (originally called Empire City earlier in the game’s development), a fictional city based on San Francisco and New York City, with influences from Chicago and Detroit. The name is a reference to New York’s state nickname “The Empire State”. The game will feature a completely open-ended game map of 10 square miles. No restrictions are included from the start of the game.
 

The game is looking pretty amazing with some of the best graphics you will ever see in an open world game. The game is scheduled for a 2010 release date on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
 

- GTA 5:
 
 

While Xbox360 owners are still enjoying the recently released exclusive Episodes from Liberty City, gamers around the world are looking forward at what will the next iteration of the hugely popular franchise will introduce to the open world formula.
 

It’s a no brainer that Rockstar North are currently working on the fifth installment. The Ad featured in the pic above from The Ballad of Guy Tony ” Liberty City it’s over, next stop..” is pointing that the next GTA game will be set in a different location, could be Europe? Who knows.

- Agent:
 
 

Agent is an upcoming open world game from Rockstar North, the studio that brought to us the highly acclaimed Grand Theft Auto IV. While details about this exclusive PS3 are slim, publisher Take-Two’s CEO Ben Feder said that the game will offer a very different experience from the GTA series “It’s a completely different storyline, there is completely different character development. It’s a game about espionage, set in the 1970s. GTA is obviously more about an urban experience, a typically rags to riches experience. Very, very different storylines, very different character development. It’s going to be very fresh for gamers.”
 

Maybe we will see more info about the game in the next few months, or at next year’s E3.
 

- L.A Noire:
 
 

L.A Noire is an open world game developed by Team Bondi and to be published by Rockstar Games. The game has been officially announced only for the PS3 console, but a spokesperson for Take Two implied that both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 releases are likely and that “LA Noire is being developed for next-generation systems.”.
 

The game is rumored to be using global illumination technology, the same tech used in Killzone 2. But the truth is: there are a lot of controversial about this game, and the silence regarding the development of the game are making us a bit suspicious about if the game will ever come out. I Hope that Team Bondi to release some new info to remove all of the suspiciousness looming around the game.
 

- Red Dead Redemption:
 
 

Red Dead Redemption is the follow up video game to the under appreciated game from last generation, Red Dead Revolver. The game is being developed by Rockstar San Diego.
 

The game is set in 1908; it focuses around a former outlaw, John Marston, who is sent across the troubled American Frontiers to help in bringing the rule of law. The game will use open world gameplay similar to the Grand Theft Auto series with sandbox environments and a free-roaming ability. The environments will include frontier towns, prairies, and mountain passes.
 

The game wild west setting will make this game a unique open world experience. It will feature over 40 different types of animals that can be hunted and realistic weather changes including seasons and the ability to ride trains.The game is Powered by the same engine as Grand Theft Auto IV, the open-world cowboy lifestyle game is due out on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 during the first half of 2010.
 

- Infamous 2:
 
 

Infamous is one of the best super hero games ever made, right there with Batman: Arkham Asylum and Prototype. Anybody who has beaten Infamous know that a sequel is likely, at least from a story standpoint. Also, David Sullivan who has starred as “Abe” in the 2004 independent film Primer has tweeted last month that he is doing a recast for Cole McGrath, the hero (or anti hero) of the original game.
 

Expect to see the sequel in late 2011, or early 2012.
 

- Prototype 2:
 
 

Alexa Mercer is a badass character, and his abilities in creating mass destruction is spot on. The shapeshifting powers and over the top action made this game an enjoyable ride to take. The game ending was great, as it answers all your questions, but at the same time gives the developers a starting point to make a sequel. Also, the game has sold more than 1.5 million on both Xbox360 and PS3, which make the sequel a good investment for Radical Entertainment.
 

- Yakuza 3:
 
 

Yakuza 3 is one of the best selling games for PS3 in Japan. The game is so popular in Japan to a degree that a fourth entry is currently under development at Sega. Japan is getting Yakuza 4 in Spring 2010, and we still don’t have the third one? Don’t worry as there are a lot of sources saying that Yakuza 3 is being localized for the western market, but might be developed by another company.
 

Yakuza 3 takes a departure from the first two games with its choice of setting; instead of focusing on the gritty cityscape of Tokyo, it switches gears and sends Kiryu to the Ryukyu Islands, where he runs the Asagao orphanage with his adoptive daughter Haruka who accompanied him in both Yakuza, Yakuza 2.
 

While the game is being localized as we speak, it doesn’t have a solid release date. But it highly targeted for a 2010 release.

- APB:
 
 

APB (All Points Bulletin) is an upcoming massively multiplayer online video game for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. The game design is led by David Jones, creator of the original Grand Theft Auto and Crackdown, and is being developed by Realtime Worlds.
 

The game takes place in a modern day, fictional city where there is a constant battle between “Enforcement” and “Criminals”, and the player will need to decide to which Faction they want to belong. Side quests involving missions within the game allowing the player to earn extra money, which then can be used to upgrade weapons, vehicles, and their character appearances. The game release date is yet to be confirmed, but it has a rumored release date on May 2010 for PC and the Xbox360 version will probably follow in 2010.
 

- Crackdown 2:
 
 

Crackdown 2 is a direct sequel for the Xbox360 exclusive open world game, Crackdown. The player character is a super human officer for the city funded “Agency”, known simply as the “Agent”. The game will feature the same enjoyable gameplay presented in the original, but with some tweaks to the whole formula.
 

This time, a new studio (Ruffian Games) will take the helm in developing the sequel. The game is expected for release in 2010 exclusively on Xbox360.
 

We think that this is the best list possible, but if there is an open world game you are looking forward to and it’s not listed here, let us know by leaving a comment. One more thing, vote then discuss your choice.
 
 

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