Black Sand Drift

About

Black Sand Drift is a single player action game. It was developed by Echo Hall Studios and was released on September 8, 2016. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Black Sand Drift" is a racing game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Players compete in high-speed races across treacherous desert landscapes, using a variety of vehicles equipped with nitro boosts and weapons. The objective is to be the first to cross the finish line while battling against opponents and navigating through harsh environments.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

49%

Audience ScoreBased on 76 reviews

music10 positive mentions

graphics5 negative mentions

The game features a surprisingly robust soundtrack that adds personality and momentum to the gameplay.
Black Sand Drift offers a lengthy campaign with 25 stages, providing more content than many similarly priced shooters.
The controls are responsive and immediate, making it easy for players to engage with the gameplay mechanics.

The gameplay quickly becomes repetitive, with enemy formations and backgrounds starting to feel stale after a while.
Graphics are simplistic and may not appeal to players looking for a polished visual experience.
The difficulty spikes can be frustrating for newcomers, as there are no assist systems or adjustable challenge modes.

music
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
72%
9%
The music in the game is a standout feature, with a surprisingly robust soundtrack that includes rock-infused tracks and unique themes for each stage, enhancing the overall experience. While opinions vary, many players appreciate the quality and composition of the music, even if some feel it doesn't always fit the gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as more enjoyable than the gameplay itself, making it a significant draw for players.
- “The soundtrack is surprisingly robust for an indie shmup, featuring rock-infused tracks that give the combat pulse and personality.”
- “The game also features a fantastic soundtrack consisting of 25 tracks, with guitars, bass, drums, and vocals, which is a rarity for games in this genre.”
- “What sold me, honestly, was the music; I found there was some work put into the composition and I liked the opening theme a lot.”
- “However, the music is not to my liking as it feels completely out of place.”
- “The graphics are mediocre at best, the gameplay is dull, the soundtrack is annoying and completely out of place for the game.”
- “The music felt like it was picked with literally no concern for its compatibility with the game.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
64%
9%
The gameplay is characterized by classic vertical shooter mechanics, focusing on dodging projectiles and managing enemy waves, but it suffers from a lack of innovation and depth, often feeling generic and repetitive. While some players appreciate the fast-paced action and soundtrack, many criticize the gameplay for being dull, chaotic, and hindered by mediocre graphics and level design. Overall, it delivers a basic shooting experience that may appeal to dedicated fans of the genre but falls short of expectations for a more engaging and polished gameplay experience.
- “The gameplay adheres to classic vertical shooter fundamentals: weaving through projectile patterns, managing screen space, reacting to waves of enemies, and unleashing powerful weapon upgrades at key moments.”
- “It may not have the visual splendor, systemic depth, or mechanical novelty of top-tier entries, but it delivers exactly what it promises: fast action, rewarding precision, a striking soundtrack, and enough content to keep dedicated pilots busy.”
- “Black Sand Drift is a unique and engaging shoot 'em up game that takes place in the Kotiro galaxy, where mechanical bots called Spiral have been oppressing the five planets and their citizens for over 300 years.”
- “While early levels allow players to settle into the mechanics, the challenge ramps up quickly, sometimes abruptly.”
- “The gameplay consists of random ships appearing for you to shoot, with shooting being an automatic process.”
- “The graphics are mediocre at best, the gameplay is dull, the soundtrack is annoying and completely out of place for the game.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
63%
23%
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing them as simplistic, amateurish, and reminiscent of outdated retro styles. While some appreciate the trippy visual effects and unique filters, the overall quality is considered low, lacking detail and polish, which detracts from the gameplay experience. Many reviewers feel that the visuals are a significant drawback, suggesting that the developers should have invested more effort into improving this aspect.
- “The graphics, music, controls, and story all come together to create an immersive experience that will keep you hooked for hours on end.”
- “The game has a unique soundtrack for each level, and there are some pretty trippy filters you can use for the game – changing graphics so they're pastel, inverted, and eye-bleeding.”
- “First impressions - the game is designed in an 80s graphic style - simple shapes, rusty outlines, and extremely bright colors.”
- “The artwork here is terrible; it's a blend of old retro pixel 'art' used as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics, and some of the most amateurish MS Paint style drawings (I won't deign to call these 'illustrations').”
- “It's unclear if this is due to a lack of budget to hire someone who can do graphics properly, or a lack of talent; regardless, the overall visual quality of the game is extremely low as a result of these decisions.”
- “The graphics are mediocre at best; the gameplay is dull, the soundtrack is annoying, and completely out of place for the game.”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The story in "Black Sand Drift" adds a notable layer of context and character to the shmup genre, offering more than just a simple text scroll before gameplay. While some players appreciate the character-driven narrative and immersive atmosphere across its 25 levels, others find the plot to be thin and uninspired, leading to mixed feelings about its overall impact on the gaming experience. Ultimately, the game's storytelling attempts to distinguish it from typical indie shooters, though its effectiveness may vary based on individual player preferences.
- “It doesn’t reinvent shmup storytelling, but it does try to give players more context and atmosphere than a brief text scroll before the action begins.”
- “Black Sand Drift aims to give personality to a genre where storytelling is typically optional, and that determination helps distinguish it from hundreds of interchangeable indie shooters.”
- “One of the standout features of Black Sand Drift is its heavy emphasis on characters and story, which is delivered through a dialog-driven narrative that plays out over 25 levels in five different locations.”
- “The storytelling never becomes fully intertwined with gameplay, instead functioning as an intermission rather than a force shaping the journey.”
- “The plot is paper-thin and not creative in the slightest.”
- “Bsd offers a prominent story through the game which sets it apart from standard shoot-em ups but whether this is enough to encourage a complete playthrough really depends on if you feel the game is nostalgic or frustrating.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by providing more context than typical shmup storytelling, though it doesn't break new ground in narrative. While players can adjust saturation and hue, these options are largely superficial and do not significantly impact the overall atmosphere.
- “It doesn’t reinvent shmup storytelling, but it does try to give players more context and atmosphere than a brief text scroll before the action begins.”
- “Saturation and hue can be fiddled around with as well, but they're really just fluff controls and don't do anything to enhance the atmosphere of the game.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is perceived as genuine and thoughtfully executed, distinguishing it from typical asset flips or cash grabs often seen in titles made with Gamemaker Studio. Players appreciate the effort put into the game, suggesting a commitment to quality over profit.
- “Gamemaker Studio is often used to make retro pixel shovelware and cash grabs.”
- “At least this seems to be sincerely made instead of an asset flip/cash grab.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is seen as appealing to fans of classic arcade shooters like Space Invaders and Galaga, offering a certain charm. However, it can also become tedious, especially for those who may not appreciate the game's rustic graphics and art style, suggesting that it may not be worth the investment for everyone.
- “On one hand, it has its own charm and will appeal to enthusiasts of space invaders and Galaga, but it can become quite tedious. If you can't get past the rustic, rough graphics and art style, you may be better off spending your money elsewhere.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in this game is largely criticized, with reviewers noting that the bizarre and abstract character designs are the only standout feature, yet many find them unattractive and lacking depth. Overall, the game's character development fails to engage players, contributing to a negative perception of the overall experience.
- “It's a plain vertical shooter that has the bizarre and abstract character design as the only thing it has going for it, and even then, most people would say that they are just simply ugly, like the rest of the game is.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Black Sand Drift" is characterized by its heartfelt ambition, as it presents a flawed yet passionate attempt to provide a deeper experience beyond standard arcade gameplay.
- “Ultimately, Black Sand Drift feels like a passion project—flawed, uneven, but heartfelt and determined to offer more than bare-minimum arcade action.”