Publisher Bandai Namco and developer ILCA have released the first in a series of developer diaries for SAND LAND, the action RPG based on the Akira Toriyama manga. The first episode is focused on enemies and vehicles.
Sand Land's Wasteland Needs Work – TGS 2023
23.09.2023 - 02:01 / ign.com / Akira Toriyama
Announced earlier this year, Bandai Namco's Sand Land looks to translate a cult Japanese comic into an open-world adventure. Playing it on the floor of Tokyo Game Show, I came away intrigued about the characters and story, but less thrilled about actually playing the full game.
Sand Land debuted in the year 2000 as a short-lived tale of a demon prince exploring a desolate wilderness – hence the title. Created by Akira Toriyama, a manga artist of major renown for his Dragonball series as well as his contributions to many games such as Dragon Quest, Sand Land remained a print-only phenomenon until 2023. A feature-length film debuted this summer, with this game serving as the next multimedia tie-in.
The demo opens on a strong note, with graphics that lean into its manga origins. All the characters look like they've wandered onto the screen straight from the page, with thick line art giving everyone sharp features. The characters all have personality, especially the protagonist, Beezelbub. He may look like an anime version of Hot Stuff the Little Devil (kids, ask your grandparents) but from minute one he's looking for adventure and action.
With Beezelbub and his two elderly companions driving across the desert, the first challenge thrown at the player is a set piece where our leads catch the attention of a massive dragon. Beezelbub drives towards the camera as the dragon gives chase; a distance readout at the top of the screen counts down until they reach safety. I found it tough to predict where the dragon would burrow up and attack, but the vehicle is sturdy enough to survive multiple hits. I think the only strategy is to keep winding back and forth to prevent the dragon from getting a fix on your heading.
Once they escape, Beezelbub and his pals arrive in a "village" that is all but deserted. The team has a quick chat before deciding to seek a more populous area, and the game places a handy visual marker on the HUD. With that, I took off across the desert again, following a clear path of tire tracks towards my goal. We drove past some wandering dinosaurs—a staple of Toriyama's works—and a few bandits who showed passing interest in our truck before giving up when I ignored their grenades.
As we approached the set destination, one of Beezelbub's companions pointed out a large mark painted on a mountainside, identifying it as a pirate icon. Befitting a cocky hero, Beezelbub took the news with excitement, proclaiming he'd beat them all up. His friends exercised caution, but it proved to be a moot point as Sand Land automatically dragged our heroes straight into the pirate's trap. A line of spikes popped all four truck tires, forcing Beezelbub to dismount and fight hand-to-hand.
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