Under the Sand

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 587 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Under the Sand Game Cover
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"Under the Sand" is a post-apocalyptic adventure game set in an endless desert caused by global warming. The player embarks on a journey in an old pickup truck, fulfilling their late father's last request. The game features a generated road and car customization, allowing players to assemble, repair, refuel, and tune their vehicle. This version is completely redone and now supports Windows 11.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 587 reviews
gameplay11 positive mentions
story8 negative mentions
  • The game has a relaxing atmosphere and is enjoyable for casual play.
  • The developer is responsive to community feedback and actively updates the game.
  • The low-poly graphics and desert setting create a unique and appealing aesthetic.
  • The game lacks content and can become repetitive quickly, with limited locations and items.
  • There are numerous bugs, including issues with item storage and vehicle physics.
  • The game feels unfinished, with many features promised but not yet implemented.
  • gameplay52 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and repetitiveness, primarily revolving around driving, scavenging, and vehicle maintenance in a post-apocalyptic setting. While some players appreciate the relaxing nature and potential for future updates, many express concerns about the lack of depth, variety, and content, leading to a feeling of monotony after a short playtime. Overall, the game offers a polished experience but is seen as needing more engaging mechanics and diverse environments to sustain long-term interest.

    • “Cool old trucks, simple mechanics, and a literal endless road trip.”
    • “This is an immensely relaxing game with some very simple, satisfying mechanics that allow you to sit back and chill out for a bit while you explore, loot, and eventually upgrade your rigs.”
    • “The primary gameplay loop of driving and maintaining the truck is pleasant and pretty relaxing, and while it would do with some more depth, I think what the game really needs to become something that has some length to it is the secondary loop.”
    • “No gameplay other than waiting for buildings to appear so you can scavenge them.”
    • “Gameplay consists of driving until you find a repetitive spot of interest, getting out of the vehicle and collecting the few items that you probably already have a ton of, waiting until you get to a shop, and selling unwanted items for upgrades to a vehicle that don't really do much.”
    • “If the road was endless with stops for upgrading along the way (which is what I thought I bought), then it'd be fun, but 1.1 hours of really boring gameplay later, and I have experienced everything that this extremely unfinished and unpolished game has to offer.”
  • graphics31 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the low-poly art style and its relaxing aesthetic, particularly during sunsets and sunrises. While some users find the visuals charming and suitable for the game's atmosphere, others criticize the graphics for being simplistic or lacking realism. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a strong point, though there is a desire for more content and polish in future updates.

    • “And graphics are so realistic and relaxing.”
    • “Graphics also breathtaking and it's comfortable to play with it, especially sunsets and sunrises!”
    • “The low-poly, faded color graphics are haunting and beautiful at the same time.”
    • “Its about 40% CPU usage, 0-20% GPU usage = a massive 21 FPS, changing graphics does nothing.”
    • “The graphics are criminally bad.”
    • “This issue might be because of the low-poly graphics, and the lack of visual reference points.”
  • story28 mentions

    The game currently lacks a substantial story, with many players expressing a desire for a narrative mode to enhance motivation and engagement. While some appreciate the game's concept and the potential for exploration, they find it repetitive and lacking in content, leading to a sense of boredom over time. Overall, there is a consensus that the addition of a story or quest system could significantly improve the gameplay experience.

    • “Under the sand, on the other hand, as it stands with the latest full rebuilt version at the time of writing, offers a story-lite experience that encourages the players to weave their own experiences on a lonesome desert road.”
    • “Yes, it's not much of a backstory, but surely motivation enough with the post-apocalyptic barren sands all around you.”
    • “With a full-fledged story mode, a proper soundtrack, and all the bugs ironed out, Under the Sand can easily become one of the indie hits of 2019.”
    • “Honestly, as it stands, it's a good time waster, but sadly from what I've seen, the game went from a game with a story to a vehicle-based endless runner.”
    • “This game has a really good concept going for it, but that's about it: no story, very little content, and it runs like garbage.”
    • “Very fun, enjoy loading my trunk up and slamming on the brakes and everything goes flying. However, after I bought the game and opened it, it showed that story mode was under development, but upon joining the Discord, I've come to find out that was not the case and the creators have abandoned the game due to another game coming out from a different creator and it doing better.”
  • music26 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the chill lo-fi soundtrack and the ability to use their own playlists, while others find the in-game music repetitive and lacking depth. Many appreciate the atmospheric quality of the music during long drives, but some criticize the limited options for music control and the overall redundancy of the tracks. Overall, the music serves as a relaxing backdrop for gameplay, but it may not satisfy those looking for a more engaging auditory experience.

    • “Chill game, awesome soundtrack.”
    • “Driving for many miles while listening to good music has been nothing short of a gift.”
    • “When I discovered how to turn the radio, this game became even more atmospheric - the soundtrack is pretty good and done in some country-ambient style.”
    • “If you like to waste time driving endlessly, then yeah sure, I highly recommend having Spotify playing in the background because the game music (cassettes) sucks.”
    • “There's no story, no voice overs, very little music, but what is there has that magical quality to it that's hard to describe.”
    • “The game doesn't even have an option to change the music or sound volume.”
  • atmosphere13 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, with many players appreciating its pleasing visuals and meditative environment. The ability to interact with various elements, such as turning on lights and playing music, enhances the overall experience, contributing to a unique charm that resonates with fans of atmospheric and low-poly games. Overall, it creates a compelling setting that invites players to lose themselves in its desolate yet captivating world.

    • “Right now in its current state, this game will only appeal to you if you're looking for something exactly like this: a slow, atmospheric, meditative game where you can just turn off your brain and lose yourself in the endless desert road.”
    • “The calm atmosphere is enjoyable, and the environment has an odd charm to it.”
    • “When I discovered how to turn the radio, this game became even more atmospheric - the soundtrack is pretty good and done in some country-ambient style.”
    • “The atmosphere is serviceable to a point; you can get what you want out of it.”
    • “My summer car was sort of similar, but too happy-go-lucky to be going for the 'desolate survival' atmosphere I had in mind.”
    • “Setting, atmosphere, and art style done right, but gameplay is evolving with every update, even if there is not so much to do in the first version.”
  • stability11 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report a smooth experience with consistent frame rates and no crashes, others highlight persistent bugs and glitches that detract from gameplay. Issues such as item placement bugs and chaotic inventory management have been noted, leading to frustration for some users. Overall, while the game shows potential, many still find it far from a polished experience.

    • “Runs great.”
    • “I'm not going to hate on it since the game is what it is, just like it says on the store page, and it runs great like it needs to.”
    • “When I first bought it, it was very buggy and the game seemed abandoned.”
    • “I want to like this game, but it is as buggy as it gets.”
    • “Placing items inside the truck cabin (where you'd expect to keep food and water) remains extremely buggy, and the lack of any meaningful sorting of your truck bed inventory makes the whole gameplay loop a thousand times more chaotic than it needs to be.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is derived from amusing glitches and quirky physics, such as items behaving unexpectedly during gameplay, which adds a lighthearted touch. Players appreciate the absence of crude humor, favoring instead a more subtle and situational comedy that arises from the game's mechanics. Overall, while some moments are genuinely funny, others fall flat, lacking the charm to be memorable.

    • “Turning that item into a hilariously small, minuscule size is just too funny!”
    • “Thanks to the developers apparently not wanting it to be a frustrating mess, the physics are solid but forgiving, the environment is easy to look at, and it doesn't have the toilet humor that seems to permeate other games.”
    • “Once you drive for a bit, the physics will flip out, sending you and the truck into orbit where everything in the truck goes flying. It's funny seeing as you think the valuable stuff goes inside and the less important goes in the back, but overall just throw everything in the bed and don't worry about it falling out!”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with users labeling it a cash grab that offers minimal content and repetitive gameplay. Many feel that the developer abandoned the game shortly after its release, leading to a lack of updates and diminishing value for players. Overall, the monetization strategy is seen as exploitative, prioritizing profit over player experience.

    • “It's basically every single non-name brand game on Steam; it's horrible and a cash grab. It has about 1-2 hours of fun in it, but it takes more than 2 (from my experience) to finish the game because of the slow car. I see the developer was trying to either make a clone or a game similar to Jalopy; either way, it's repetitive and has little to no replay value. You do only 2 things: drive and pick up items from the same building you've already visited. No other maps, no random chance events/parts, same exact song and dance every time.”
    • “This game was great when it started, but then the developer abandoned it in October 2019. Basically, it was just a massive cash grab of what could've been a decent game had it been given even an ounce of effort in its updates.”
    • “This game is terrible; it's a cash grab.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players express frustration with the grinding mechanics, noting that the time required to obtain items and resources is excessive and often feels like a waste. While some find the game slightly more rewarding with a less grind-heavy economy, the constant pressure to manage food resources adds to the overall grind experience.

    • “Noting that grinding is the main focus of the game, 7 hours of playtime to find maybe a dozen items in three different new games is an asinine amount of time to grind and virtually waste time.”
    • “While I could be screwing it up to a large degree, at the rate I'm going, it would take a ridiculous amount of grinding just to repair the 3 vehicles available.”
    • “The game's a bit more rewarding and less grindy, but there's constant pressure regarding the foodstuff, since it's the only resource that can't be bought anymore.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance and appealing low-poly graphics, especially considering its price. However, players express disappointment over the lack of customization and performance tuning options, which detracts from the strategic elements of gameplay.

    • “Runs smoothly, graphics are a nice low poly, pretty good for the price too.”
    • “More options to customize cars, forced induction, paint, fenders, grilles, performance upgrades, etc.”
    • “There's no customization or performance tuning, either, or at least I've never seen any of the mythical engine block upgrades spawn. With the lack of trading (though supposedly being added soon-ish), there's no elements of strategy or survival involved beyond driving east, eating beans, drinking cola, and occasionally refueling to do more of the same.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers minimal replayability, with users noting it feels repetitive and lacks variety, featuring only a couple of activities and no new maps or random events. Players report that while it may provide a brief period of enjoyment, the overall experience is limited and feels like a cash grab.

    • “It's basically every single non-name brand game on Steam; it's horrible and a cash grab. It has about 1-2 hours of fun in it, but it takes more than 2 (from my experience) to finish the game because of the slow car. I see the developer was trying to either make a clone or a game similar to Jalopy; either way, it's repetitive. It has little to no replay value; you do only 2 things: drive and pick up items from the same building you've already visited. No other maps, no random chance events/parts, same exact song and dance every time.”
    • “The game lacks any meaningful replayability. Once you've completed the main objectives, there's no incentive to return. The environments are static, and the gameplay loop becomes monotonous very quickly.”
    • “After finishing the game, I found no reason to play it again. The lack of variety in missions and the absence of new content make it feel like a one-and-done experience.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players express a sense of emotional engagement with the game, highlighting its potential for exploration and enjoyment despite being in early access. The feedback-driven development approach fosters optimism for future improvements, enhancing the overall experience. The game's ability to evoke a desire for exploration, rather than relying on traditional quests, adds to its emotional appeal.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
2-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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