Mount And Blade: Warband

A sword and some clothes. That's essentially all you're given when you start Mount and Blade: Warband, and it's up to you to grow it into something bigger. First, though, you'll have to make it past the in-depth character creation screen, where you can customize everything from gender to social status and stats. The choices have a real impact on how people treat you, with women even struggling to find their way in the male-dominated medieval period. What follows is a hard upward struggle to the top. There's very little hand-holding in this game, from the minimal back story to the steep learning curve. You'll probably die. Repeatedly. But that's all part of the fun. Each iteration gives you a chance to explore new beginnings. Despite this, the end goal is always the same. Slowly grow yourself from a humble villager into a general. Grow your army from a few mercenaries to a dominating force. Your decisions will affect the political landscape, either earning you a title or a reputation of an infamous bandit. It's an ultimate sandbox, made better by fantastic horse-based combat that makes every single battle a joy.