SAND LAND

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 554 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
SAND LAND Game Cover
Sand Land manages the tough task of translating an enjoyable story without overdoing the open-world mechanics in the process. It’s rough in places but is a respectful adaptation of Toriyama’s work and a pleasant experience throughout.
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"SAND LAND" is a deluxe edition action-RPG set in a desert world suffering from water shortage, based on the manga by Akira Toriyama. Play as Fiend Prince Beelzebub, leading a team of misfits on a quest to find the Legendary Spring. Overcome various dangers and challenges, using tactics and imagination to navigate through this unique desert world.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 554 reviews
story125 positive mentions
optimization11 negative mentions
  • Engaging story that expands on the original manga with lovable characters.
  • Fun and satisfying vehicular combat with a variety of customizable vehicles.
  • Beautiful art style that captures Akira Toriyama's signature design.
  • Repetitive dialogue and voice lines that can become annoying during exploration.
  • Melee combat feels basic and is overshadowed by the vehicle combat.
  • Some performance issues, including stuttering and clunky controls.
  • story389 mentions

    The story of "Sand Land" is generally well-received, characterized by its engaging plot and charming characters, which reflect Akira Toriyama's signature style. While the main narrative is straightforward and enjoyable, many players find the side quests repetitive and lacking depth, often feeling like filler rather than meaningful content. Overall, the game offers a mix of humor and drama, with a vibrant world that invites exploration, though some players note pacing issues and a tendency for the story to become less compelling in its latter stages.

    • “The story is classic shonen style and quirky, overall it rounds out to be a fun experience.”
    • “Sand Land delivers a well-designed and intriguing plot despite having some moderate pacing concerns throughout the campaign.”
    • “The story has an undeniable charm, infusing their journey with a sense of fun despite the dire circumstances.”
    • “The story was nothing to write home about.”
    • “The annoying dialog driving me nuts and the boring content sapped me of the drive I had to finish the story.”
    • “It's frustrating and enraging when I just want to play a game, not watch adults make baby voices for 10 minutes at a time, do a fetch quest for 2 minutes then another 15 minutes of baby drivel.”
  • gameplay126 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a strong focus on vehicular combat and customization, which many players find enjoyable and engaging, particularly in an open-world setting. However, some reviews highlight a lack of challenge and depth in other gameplay mechanics, such as on-foot combat and puzzle-solving, leading to a repetitive experience. Overall, while the game offers a charming aesthetic and fun core mechanics, it may not satisfy those seeking a more complex or challenging gameplay experience.

    • “The gameplay is centered around vehicular combat, where you battle using an array of customizable rides found throughout the world.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth and enjoyable, making it a good game to sit back and play.”
    • “The vehicular gameplay is especially dynamic and smooth, underlined by a pretty well implemented customization and progression system.”
    • “No challenge, no secrets, no platforming, no puzzles, no real mechanics to engage with.”
    • “The gameplay loop remains easy and repetitive, as enemies never adapt and always aim for your last given position.”
    • “Gameplay can get a bit dull, and the game has a lot of missed opportunities for rewarding exploration and what feels like cut content/empty areas/unexplored systems that don't really go anywhere.”
  • graphics94 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning visuals and unique art style, heavily influenced by Akira Toriyama's iconic designs. Players appreciate the vibrant cel-shading and attention to detail, which effectively captures the essence of the original manga while providing an immersive open-world experience. However, some users noted minor performance issues and occasional confusion in navigation, but overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The graphics are gorgeous, the story is charming, and the gameplay feels nice enough.”
    • “The visuals for this game look like they jumped right out of the manga, and Toriyama's vehicle designs are fantastic.”
    • “The cell-shading art style enhances the visual experience by delivering a fresh perspective to the series.”
    • “Interesting mix of real care, love and attention to detail balanced by plenty of phoned-in artwork.”
    • “All in all, this just feels like forcing yourself to walk in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot with a much tackier, dumbed-down Mad Max kind of aesthetic.”
    • “The artwork seems to be a little different, but I don't know if it is because of the models or cell shading or what; it just seems a bit off.”
  • optimization33 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting persistent stuttering issues, particularly during shader loading and asset transitions. While some users found that switching to DirectX 11 significantly improved performance, others experienced ongoing performance problems that detracted from gameplay. Overall, while the visuals and combat are praised, the need for optimization patches is a common concern among players.

    • “While running Sand Land on max settings at 2560 x 1440, the game ran buttery smooth the entire time with very few minor graphical or performance issues to report.”
    • “I'm really impressed by the smooth graphics, highly optimized, very easy vehicular and manual combat controls.”
    • “Performance is solid, haven't had a single frame drop, the vehicle combat is a blast, the writing is jovial but not to the point of being plain cheesy, the characters are fun and their interactions are enjoyable even if they do tend to talk often.”
    • “This game is really good but it's really poorly optimized with stutters 24/7.”
    • “The stuttering seems to almost exclusively happen at moments when you need to dodge something, preventing you from being able to do so.”
    • “The stuttering mentioned above got really worse during a few of the later segments to where it was causing me to struggle in a combat section.”
  • music29 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its captivating and nostalgic soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience, while others find it repetitive and unremarkable. Many players appreciate standout tracks that fit various moods, but some express disappointment over the lack of variety and atmospheric depth in the overall audio. Overall, while the soundtrack has its highlights, it often fails to leave a lasting impression.

    • “The music is also stellar.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing.”
    • “Beautiful world, incredible music, and everything else I had hoped for in spades!”
    • “While the music in the game is captivating and fits every situation perfectly, harmoniously blending in levels of nostalgia for fans of Toriyama’s works, the general audio is pretty repetitive and monotonous for the most part, recycling most of the sounds for the entire game.”
    • “The soundtrack feels Jesper Kyd inspired, and I'm often in awe at some of the ambient score.”
    • “I would have loved a more Japanese-inspired trumpet and violin ensemble like the original Dragon Ball score; the music in Sand Lands is serviceable, but nothing will stay with you after playing.”
  • grinding25 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many noting that the exploration and material farming can feel like a chore rather than an engaging experience. While some appreciate the vehicle upgrades and story elements, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from a lack of depth and variety, leading to a grind that detracts from the enjoyment. The repetitive dialogue and tedious crafting further contribute to a sense of monotony, making completionist runs feel particularly burdensome.

    • “This makes exploring the map a very tedious job to do; the rest of the game is fun enough, though.”
    • “Getting 100% requires tedious collection and extreme repetition (arena - fighting each boss battle at least 4 times minimum).”
    • “To go with the material grind and upgrading vehicles, I constantly felt material starved to the point where I was having to go out and farm enemies for materials to upgrade stuff; at the end of the day, I really only kept 3 vehicles updated and the rest more or less sat due to my personal impatience with farming materials.”
  • humor23 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its lighthearted and whimsical nature, reminiscent of Akira Toriyama's signature style. Players appreciate the comedic dialogue, quirky character interactions, and the protagonist's amusing attempts to portray himself as evil while helping others. Overall, the game is described as a fun and relaxing experience, filled with charming humor that enhances its engaging storyline and gameplay.

    • “Such a funny and chill game with a nice and warm storyline.”
    • “Our protagonist constantly trying to convince people and demons that he is evil despite helping everyone who needs help struck me as being particularly funny and heartwarming lol.”
    • “The story is incredibly funny, comedy is very much the main focus just like with most Akira Toriyama stories.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its exceptional voice acting and vibrant animation, which create impactful cutscenes that resonate with players. Many reviewers express a deep emotional attachment to the characters and story, describing the experience as both heartwarming and bittersweet, often evoking strong feelings of joy and sadness. The game's ability to provide a relaxing yet engaging atmosphere, combined with a memorable soundtrack, enhances its emotional depth, making it a standout experience for players seeking both fun and meaningful moments.

    • “The characters are brought to life through exceptional voice acting and vibrant animation, making every cutscene a visual and emotional treat.”
    • “That wholesome, beautiful kind of ending that gives you pure joy and sadness all wrapped up into a warm fuzzy blanket.”
    • “Super fun, amazing soundtrack, and made me cry more than once.”
  • character development11 mentions

    The character development in the game is heavily influenced by Akira Toriyama's iconic art style, resulting in unique and distinctive character designs that resonate with fans of anime and manga. Players appreciate the imaginative character and vehicle designs, which contribute to a visually appealing experience that feels authentic to Toriyama's work. Overall, the combination of charming graphics and engaging lore enhances the game's character development, making it a standout feature.

    • “The graphics, specifically the character design and rendering, are great; Akira Toriyama's style is in every part of the game, and I don't believe I've played a game that looked so authentic to the manga and the new 3D Sand Land anime.”
    • “The art style, character design, vehicle design, lore, and characters are all great so far.”
    • “I love Toriyama's character design and vehicle design, but that's all that drew me to this game.”
    • “The visual style and character design is straight up from anime and manga adaptation that welcomes you from the first opening scene.”
    • “The game keeps the iconic character design from Toriyama, which makes each character very distinctive.”
  • stability10 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it runs well on the Steam Deck, achieving around 40-50 fps, players have reported significant bugs and glitches at specific points, particularly with vehicle mechanics and certain gameplay sections. The PC version appears to be more polished, with fewer issues noted. However, some players feel that the game's stability does not justify its $60 price tag due to these inconsistencies.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “I played through most of it on Steam Deck and it runs great there, most of the time hitting 40 fps with some dips to 30 fps (on medium/high settings).”
    • “Game runs great on Steam Deck, around 50 fps.”
    • “$60 for something this buggy, I cannot recommend.”
    • “There's also multiple, although not many, side-scrolling, stealth, and platforming sections that are at best buggy and at worst half-assed implementations.”
    • “Motorcycle and buggy cannot make jumps you're intended to make with them; they fall short.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its immersive qualities, with beautiful graphics and sound design that enhance the experience, particularly in post-apocalyptic settings. However, some users note that the music can be inconsistent, with moments of dullness overshadowing standout tracks. Overall, the atmosphere is described as charming and well-balanced, effectively capturing the essence of its source material.

    • “The game is really pretty, it runs really well, and the atmosphere is really nice.”
    • “Every clang of metal and gust of wind adds to the game's immersive atmosphere.”
    • “With standout tracks that elevate serene and adrenaline-pumping moments, it significantly enriches the game's post-apocalyptic atmosphere and emotional depth.”
    • “The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, lacking the tension and immersion that I expected.”
    • “Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is flat and fails to draw me into the world.”
    • “The environment feels empty and devoid of character, making it hard to stay engaged.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers a mix of opinions on replayability; while some players praise its stylish design, engaging story, and satisfying gameplay as factors that enhance replay value, others feel it lacks depth and is more suited for a single playthrough.

    • “Dripping with style, tons of replayability, excellent story, satisfying gameplay.”
    • “I cannot see much replay value; it's very one and done for me.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization of the game is perceived positively, with players feeling that it reflects a genuine investment from developers, reminiscent of the heartfelt marketing and demos from earlier gaming eras.

    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it seems designed to squeeze every last penny from players rather than enhance the gaming experience.”
    • “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall enjoyment, turning what could be a great game into a frustrating cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

Buy SAND LAND

Play time

40hMedian play time
39hAverage play time
6-70hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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