Blockland vs Ylands
Blockland
Blockland may be a voxel-based sandbox game in name, same as games like Minecraft, Roblox and others, but in reality, the game is a whole lot more unique due to its Lego-like features. In fact, due to its looks, many have likened the game to the unfortunately shuttered Lego Minifigures Online. Playable in single player or multiplayer, the game allows its players to unleash their creativity by creating literally anything they can think of. The game also has tons of different blocks, textures and assets (pre-made stuff) to cater to their creative needs, allowing players to come up with the most exciting mini-games and mazes as well as beautiful locations for themselves and their friends to hang out at. Players can even drive cars (sometimes vertically up the wall of a building, breaking all rules of perceived gravity in the game), ride bikes, pilot planes, and more.Although the game is no longer getting updates and apparently its community has been dwindling, Blockland is still an amazing game that answers the question of what Minecraft would look like if its "Lego-fied". A blank canvas await you in Blockland! Do check it out - you can try the demo for free - when you can!
Ylands
Ylands is a sandbox adventure game that has a gameplay that's a lot like a massively expanded version of Minecraft with a lot more resources for you to gather, items to craft, and amazing things to build. Instead of being "just a game", Ylands is more like a platform, much like Roblox is, where players are given the tools to create whatever worlds or games they like, be it a fun go-kart racing game that's inspired from Lega Racers or even a watery world where epic pirate-themed naval battles can take place. The worlds are completely interactive as well and every action you do will modify, no matter how slightly, the game environment of that segment of the world you happen to be in. In fact, if you change a terrain and populate it with an entirely different diversity of flora and fauna, you can basically change the climate system there.Unlike Minecraft though, Ylands has opted for a more polygonal appearance which gave it the extra leverage it needed to overcome the painful dismissal and degratory label of being simply a "Minecraft clone" - which admittedly, Ylands is most definitely not. The game has so much going for it and players truly have all the freedom within the game's pretty wide parameters to literally create anything they like. Of course, the game also supports sharing, so you can let other players in Yland enjoy that (for example) crazy maze-running game you've just made!
Ylands is most certainly impressive to say the least. However, due to its indie origins, not many players know about the game, let alone buy it on Steam. So, if you really like Minecraft-like sandbox games, you simply must give this game a try, and if you've had a great time there, be sure to recommend it to your friends or even buy it for them as their Christmas/ birthday gift!