A Journey Through the Desert: A Look into Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land

Akira Toriyama, the renowned manga artist and creator of the iconic Dragon Ball series, has gifted the world with another captivating tale. Sand Land, a manga about a desert world inhabited by survivors in search of water, is making a grand return with an anime adaptation and a full video game. IGN Fan Fest was fortunate enough to get an exclusive hands-on preview of the upcoming game, and the experience was nothing short of delightful for both longtime Toriyama fans and newcomers alike.

One aspect of Toriyama’s work that often goes unnoticed is his exceptional design skills. His unique, steampunk-y, circular car and airplane designs are instantly recognizable. Vehicle design is a passion for Toriyama, as evidenced by his intricate machines that have appeared in every one of his series, from Dragon Ball to Dr. Slump. Sand Land finally puts players in the driver’s seat of these magnificent vehicles, and it’s a dream come true.

The game begins with our protagonist, Beelzebub, in need of a vehicle to traverse some quicksand. He enlists the help of a new character, Ann, a brilliant mechanic, who promises to get them across the quicksand on her bike. However, the gang soon learns that Ann’s bike has been stolen and taken to a lair in the mountains. To retrieve it, they switch to the Jump Bot, a walker with the ability to jump vertically to scale tall mountains and hop over tricky ledges.

Sand Land is an open-world adventure game about Beelzebub and the various vehicles he can pilot. The main mode of transportation is a customizable tank, which can traverse the sands and blast away enemies. However, the Jump Bot is specifically designed for platforming areas and is perfect for scaling mountains and jumping over obstacles.

Once the flying creature guarding Ann’s bike is defeated, it’s back to the tank to blast away at the enemy. Controlling the tank takes some getting used to, but the intuitive controls are reminiscent of old PlayStation games. The learning curve is manageable, and taking down the enemy is a satisfying experience.

The second part of the demo showcased the vehicle customization. As players progress through the game, Ann’s workshop opens up, allowing players to fully customize not only their tank but a variety of other vehicles Beelzebub has access to in Sand Land. The customization options are vast, from weapons and sub-weapons to threads and other accessories. Players can even give their ride a custom paint job with a variety of colors and decals.

Side activities include accepting bounties on high-profile targets and participating in races. The bounties offer a challenge for players, and taking down the targets with their customized vehicles is a thrilling experience. The races test players’ skills and their vehicles’ capabilities, with three different difficulties to choose from.

Sand Land is shaping up to be a massive game, with a vast open world to explore. The limited hands-on time only scratched the surface of what the game has to offer. The game’s transmedia return is a pleasant surprise, and fans of classic, PS2-era anime games have a lot to look forward to.

However, Sand Land is more than just a nostalgic throwback. It’s a love letter to Akira Toriyama fans, especially those who have fond memories of his early works like Dr. Slump. The game’s unique vehicle designs, world-building, and Toriyama’s signature humor are sure to delight fans and newcomers alike.

Sand Land is set to release on April 26, 2024, for consoles and PC. Fans of classic manga and Toriyama’s unique art style should definitely check it out.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

In This Article
Sand Land
Sand Land
BANDAI NAMCO
APR 26, 2024
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References
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