Sand Land (video game)
A vehicular action RPG based on Akira Toriyama's manga.
Sand Land is an action role-playing game from Bandai Namco Entertainment and developer ILCA, adapting Akira Toriyama's 2000 manga. It ranks among Toriyama's final creative contributions before his March 2024 death. Critics gave the April 2024 release mixed reviews, but praised its faithful Toriyama style and vehicle-focused gameplay. It launched on PlayStation 4 and 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- ILCA
- Publisher
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Producer
- Keishu Minami; Kazumasa Habu
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows
- PlayStation 4
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- April 25, 2024 (JP); April 26, 2024 (WW)
- Genre
- Action role-playing
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The game follows Beelzebub, Rao, Ann, and Thief as they search for a Legendary Spring in a desert, battling monsters and a king's army. Beelzebub is the main playable character, viewed from a third-person perspective. Melee attacks include fast but weak light strikes and slow but strong heavy strikes; players can dodge mid-air or sideways. Progress unlocks new skills and special abilities for Beelzebub, and drinking water restores health. Companions gain skills and assist in combat. Vehicles are central to traversal and combat; the hovercar floats over water and moves quickly in wetlands. Beelzebub carries up to five vehicle capsules at once. Vehicles can be customized with engine parts and weapons and upgraded for durability. The crew establishes a basecamp in Spino, where players can decorate living quarters with furniture. Completing side objectives introduces non-playable characters who may stay in Spino, offering rare components or services. Side activities include racing, bounty hunting, and battle arenas.
Development and release
ILCA developed the game, with Bandai Namco Entertainment publishing. Producer Keishu Minami stated the manga was chosen for its international fanbase. The team aimed to include open-world elements based on the original story of a car adventure through the desert to find a Legendary Spring, emphasizing action and immersion. Because focusing solely on Beelzebub's action might not convey the full appeal, they prioritized vehicles and customization. Shueisha and Toriyama supervised the project; familiarity with the manga is not required. The game includes Forest Land, a locale Toriyama created for the 2024 original net animation adaptation, offering visual contrast and stronger military enemies. References to Toriyama's other works appear, such as different mechs, whereas the original manga only featured a tank. The Sand Land Project was announced in December 2022, with the video game revealed in June 2023. A playable demo released on March 18, 2024. The game launched on April 25, 2024 in Japan and April 26 worldwide.
Reception
Sand Land received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic. Famitsu reported first-week sales of 11,264 units in Japan (7,810 on PlayStation 5, 3,454 on PlayStation 4), and four Famitsu critics gave it a total score of 35 out of 40. Lewis Parker of Eurogamer awarded four out of five stars, calling it a rare anime game that improves on its source material and a final reminder of Toriyama's impact. He noted it is largely a vehicular combat game with platforming, stealth, and side quests, and praised the new second-half storyline. Michael Higham of IGN described it as competent with moments of brilliance but mostly a simply okay adventure. He cited the vehicle system as its best quality, with seamless switching for traversal and puzzles, but called the hand-to-hand combat a glaring shortcoming that devolves into button-mashing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is Sand Land (video game) available on?
Sand Land was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
What engine does Sand Land (video game) use?
Sand Land runs on Unreal Engine 5.
More in Bandai Namco Games of the 2000s
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced