Sands
- March 7, 2023
- Alex Hutkouski
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"The sands have no pity." The inhabitants of Zetta-115 often say that. The same they instill in their children from an early age. And this is what they whisper about, sitting in their dilapidated shacks, waiting for the impending storm...
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features an interesting story and atmosphere that immerses players in a unique universe.
- The visuals are appealing, capturing the essence of a desert environment effectively.
- It's a free game, making it accessible for players who enjoy walking simulators and narrative-driven experiences.
- The gameplay is often tedious, with long stretches of walking and minimal interaction, leading to a sense of boredom.
- Puzzles, particularly the gate puzzle, can be frustrating and may lead to soft-locking, forcing players to restart the game.
- The narration is described as dull and monotone, detracting from the overall experience and engagement with the story.
- story22 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as having potential, with an interesting backstory and rich lore that enhances the atmosphere, but many players find it ultimately shallow and lacking depth. While some appreciate the storytelling and visuals, they criticize the gameplay for being tedious and overly simplistic, leading to a disconnect between the narrative and player engagement. Overall, the story is seen as a highlight, but its execution leaves much to be desired, with players wishing for more interactive elements and content.
“I enjoyed the storytelling and atmosphere; the game brings to life a whole universe rather than just one desert.”
“The deep story and the exciting features create a pleasant atmosphere, and time flies by while playing.”
“The story-rich lore of the planet falls smoothly into its gameplay and journey through the sands.”
“The story is too shallow to really care about.”
“First of all, we have the chance to listen to the story only from the narrator; different signs or interactions could have been added to help us understand it more deeply.”
“The story has some potential and the visuals are good, but the game itself is boring.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their good quality and atmospheric appeal, with some users noting a nice visual style reminiscent of a desert setting. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of detail in certain models and a sense of laziness in the overall visual design, particularly given the game's limited environments. While the visuals are a highlight, they are often overshadowed by the game's repetitive and uninspired gameplay.
“This is a free game with some nice visuals.”
“The story has some potential and the visuals are good.”
“Amazing atmosphere and visuals.”
“The story has some potential and the visuals are good, but the game itself is boring.”
“Visuals are just as lazy; the endless desert looks fine enough, but you'd think that in a game where you're surrounded by sand and are riding a single rail cart to occasionally encounter some broken down debris, you'd have the models for those limited number of things be highly detailed. Unfortunately, that's not the case as they all look very primitive and simple.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is well-integrated with the story and lore, enhancing the overall experience, but some players find the mechanics lacking, particularly the requirement to move straight to sprint instead of allowing strafing. Additionally, there are calls for improved visual mechanics, suggesting that the gameplay may feel superficial at times.
“The story-rich lore of the planet falls smoothly into its gameplay and journey through the sands.”
“The game mechanics are perfectly fine for this game; however, I didn't like that you had to be moving straight to sprint rather than being able to strafe and sprint.”
“The game needs better-looking mechanics.”
“Is it just to have gameplay for the sake of gameplay?”
“35 minutes of gameplay!”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive storytelling and rich universe, effectively conveying themes of survival and struggle. Players appreciate the captivating visuals and soundtrack, although some express a desire for enhanced fog effects to deepen the experience. Overall, the atmosphere significantly contributes to the game's emotional impact, despite some concerns about pacing during puzzles.
“I enjoyed the storytelling and atmosphere; the game brings to life a whole universe rather than just one desert.”
“The narration brings you further into the overall atmosphere of surviving and making it to your destination, along with the terror and struggle of a certain moment in the game (no spoilers).”
“Loving the soundtrack and atmosphere, taking it all in.”
“The narration immerses you deeper into the overall atmosphere of survival and the struggle to reach your destination, capturing the terror of certain moments in the game.”
“The soundtrack and atmosphere are captivating, allowing you to fully absorb the experience.”
- stability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, user experiences with stability vary; while some report no glitches at all, others have encountered issues, particularly with specific puzzles that frequently malfunction.
“I personally experienced no glitches at all.”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes or bugs.”
“I've played for hours without encountering any stability issues.”
“One is whether the game glitches out on you and makes you start a new game.”
“Pointless door puzzle that glitches more often than not.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its immersive soundtrack and atmospheric qualities, making it a great choice for fans of the Dune series. Players appreciate the relaxing and ambient tunes, which enhance the overall experience, even suggesting that one can enjoy the music while engaging with the game's visuals, regardless of gameplay challenges.
“Loving the soundtrack and atmosphere, taking it all in.”
“If you are a fan of the Dune series and have 30 or so minutes to spare, this is a good choice to spend it with (especially since it's free at the time of writing this). But if at any moment the puzzles start to take you out of the experience, don't feel ashamed to quit the game and just look at screenshots of it while listening to appropriate ambient music.”
“If you just want to vibe with the Half-Life / GMod / relaxing music, go for it.”
“If you are a fan of the Dune series and have 30 or so minutes to spare, this is a good choice to spend it with (especially since it's free at the time of writing this), but if at any moment the puzzles start to take you out of the experience, don't feel ashamed to quit the game and just go look at screenshots of it while listening to appropriate ambient music.”
“Was just trying to see if those doors can kill me, but then again I found a glitch and now I'm outside of the map. But other than that, if you just want to vibe with the Half-Life/Garry's Mod/relaxing music, go for it.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users indicate that the game lacks replayability due to the absence of achievements and trading cards, which diminishes the incentive to play again.
“Lastly, there's no achievements, no trading cards, and no replayability.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find that the initial engaging narrative of the game becomes tedious due to repetitive grinding mechanics, particularly during sections that require constant movement and battery collection to progress, such as the encounter with the underground worm.
“What starts off as a rather interesting story-driven game becomes tedious, especially when you encounter the worm underground and have to keep moving while trying to find and fit batteries into a vault door.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
“After a while, the constant need to grind for resources turns what could be an exciting adventure into a monotonous chore.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game raises concerns among users, as its quality is often compared to that of asset flips or cash grab scams, leading to skepticism about its value despite a lack of concrete evidence.
“There's no evidence, so we need to give the benefit of the doubt... regardless, asset flip or not, the quality here is indistinguishable from many asset flip/cash grab scams, and that's a problem in itself.”
