Analysis of Sand Land – A Motorized Desert

Heat, gunfire, scrap metal and devils await you in Sand Land, the latest adventure brought to us by Bandai Namco and which faithfully recreates the anime

Although the importance of Sand Land has always been significant since the first day it was announced, This takes on special meaning due to the sad loss of Akira Toriyama. This timeless genius has given birth to many games that are so recognizable at first glance, and unfortunately the project developed by ICEA and Bandai Namco It was his last active job. A work which does not only remain in the features, but Goes deeper with a gripping story, iconic characters, and fun gameplay mechanics as we will see in the following analysis.

Land of droughts

The first thing to say about Sand Land is that we forget the demo. A playable trial has rarely been counterproductive to “selling a product,” and here we have an example. We are faced with a game where We will control the demon prince Beelzebub, and with several friends (humans and demons) we will begin a search in the water, a rare commodity in the country where we live. A direct, precise argument that will not force us to wander the desert sands in search of a point of interest. But as we progress, we will realize that not everything is barren and desolate.

As usually happens in these proposals based on the manga and anime of the same name, As we progress through the plot, several hidden mysteries will be solved. A classic format that we have seen countless times, but which serves wonderfully to pay attention to what is happening on the screen. What happens to Beelzebub is no longer just interesting, but The thief, Sheriff Rao and newcomer Ann have a captivating journey.

A gun with the caliber of your dreams

The beauty of Sand Land (besides its storytelling) lies in its gameplay. The fundamental pillar that makes the game fun is the creation of several vehicles that will allow us to overcome obstacles otherwise it would be impassable. As we progress, we will take control of a tank, a jumping robot and even a motorcycle that will give us some unique abilities. We can use each of these vehicles customize as we wish, improve their weapons or improve other facets such as speed and damage in question.

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And while this may sound like a proposition where we have to craftsmanship crazy, we don’t have to search the scene much. Almost all materials are dropped by enemies we defeat or are found in specific designated areas on the map. Yes, you can deviate from the main mission in search of tasty rewards and loot, but don’t expect a big map full of icons.

Demon as a general

Vehicles will also get us out of almost any trouble in combat. Thanks to its power and its own defensewe will be better protected under its steel hull as we face the army of Sand Land or the creatures that inhabit its dunes. The impact and benefit of their use is such that We will rarely want to fight with fists. Even in narrow temples, we will not avoid taking out our tank. In my opinion, it is a failure that more emphasis was not placed on hand-to-hand combat.

We are not going to deny that most of the time we will be in cities and areas surrounded by sand. Honestly, before starting the game I was expecting a repetition of locations very similar to other games with the same theme (like To recover, For example). But despite the aridity of the land, Temples, mountain ranges and small spaces have been recreated very successfully and with good design. In addition, as we progress in the adventure we will see that everything is not sand and there will be moments where vegetation, and even water itself, will be the predominant elements.

A beautiful trip to the Sacred Spring

And no matter what area we explore, everything has a very cool art style. Not only because of the design of our beloved Toriyama, but also because of the lighting effects, the fluidity and the expressions that each of the protagonists wear. It’s wonderful to embark on a journey to the next town observing all the points of interest we can get to, enjoying the secrets and surprises that await us along the way.

What doesn’t convince me so much is the soundtrack, with a style and slow rhythm that does not correspond to the Japanese style which distills the title itself. We may be used to more powerful rhythms, but this essence New Age The summary we hear when we embark on an itinerary doesn’t really convince me. Finally, even if We do not have dubbing of our language, we will have an English and Japanese version, both very well produced.

Conclusion on sand lands

Bandai Namco and ILCA bring us this adventure based on the anime of the famous Akira Toriyama. We are faced with an adventure where we will have to travel through an immense desert with very charismatic characters, with their personality, their objectives and their journey. Although it may seem that this place does not offer much fun, thanks to the story, the side missions and the different vehicles that we will find, everything will be very pleasant and smooth.

In fact, vehicles will be one of the main pillars of Sand Land. They are so important that they sometimes even overshadow the hand-to-hand combat we can have with Beelzebub. We also have a certain part of crafteo to improve the cars, motorcycles, tanks and other robots we make, but all in a simple and understandable way. It’s not a game that reinvents the genre, but it does offer twenty hours full of cannon fire, exploration, and high-temperature good times.