That the late Akira Toriyama is best known for his great creation, Dragon Ballthere is no doubt: all kids of various generations have dreamed of adrenaline-filled fights like Goku, Vegeta, Krillin and companions. Yet, it should be known that the great mangaka had three other passions: telling stories – the most obvious – engines, and cars. These things, which we can see minimally in Goku's story, actually find much more space in works like Doctor Slumpand also in a manga published in 2000 of only 14 issues, Sand Land. The video game of the latter has finally arrived, which we review in this article.
Don't call it a tie-in
Let's start from the basics: Sand Land is a sort of tie-in, but not like the ones we once knew. The game itself takes the story, but offers a deeper and more structured concept, well positioned within its genre, a Action RPG.
The relaunch was born from the fact that the Sand Land film was released in 2022, which arrived in Italy in the form of a mini series, with an unpublished second part written by Toriyama which continues from where the ending left off at the time. And precisely this part – or rather, both the original film and the new writing, are what make up the narrative section of Sand Land The Video Gamea plot that will take you on a classic exploration made up of clashes, missions and much more.
In fact, Sand Land is not just a story outside the classic Dragon Ball canon (but not Toriyama, if we think about Pink), but a set of what over time has defined the mangaka: a plot that isn't too complex, a well-written story, and as many dialogues and funny moments as dedicated to one-eyed beatings (and the fact that the protagonist doesn't fire energy attacks is fantastic).
In the game we will impersonate Beelzebubson of the Demon King, who together with thief will go on a trip with him Sheriff Rao in search of Legendary Spring. In addition to this, the game will also take you to discover Forest Land, the city added in the new part of the series, with new characters like Ann and a new plot waiting to be discovered.
In the game world of Sand Land, water is an unobtainable good: man has now destroyed the planet, effectively making it arid and even giving rise to legends about water resources that can be used and special places in which to live. This search for water is equal, both for men and women Sheriff Raoboth for demons like Beelzebub and companions, and for this very reason our heroes will search for a source of sustenance, the Legendary Source.
The adventure vehicle
Sand Land puts the player in front of a epic journey, pushing him to explore a vast world full of secrets and ferocious enemies. To do this, although you can rely on the abilities of Beelzebub and his companions – all of which can be upgraded through a skill tree very linear – you will also have some available vehicles.
Before proceeding with these, however, we need to delve deeper into the freedom of settings of the party: if in fact Beelzebub will have a very classic style, pushing you to fight, choosing which of the allies to strengthen will instead push the your team to have a different approach. All this will therefore change how much your group will focus on the offensive, perhaps pushing Rao to use his attacks, on support or on recovering materials to upgrade vehicles.
Akira Toriyama he was a great fan of four wheels, and this can be seen in Sand Land: in the game you will have the opportunity to have various vehicles, which can be pulled out as needed. These can be designed and then controlled, and you can choose whether to focus on a Tank or a faster one Dune Buggyor perhaps opt directly for thearmoror prefer the two wheels to have more agility. But if you are imaginative, remember that you can also choose the Skip-Bot (which we'll let you discover), the hoverjetThe unicycle hovercraft or even abandon technology in favor of a more classic one Raptor tamed. If all this wasn't enough, your vehicles can be upgraded, modified and equipped with weapons capable of facing entire hordes of enemies.
Furthermore, the customization option will allow you to extend your creative touch both to the interiors, decorating the three rooms you may have with unique objects, and to the vehicleswhich can be embellished with paints And decals for a distinctive style in battle. These elements together create a compelling and deeply immersive journeywhere every choice and discovery carries its own weight, influencing the gaming experience in a world as hostile as it is fascinating.
Among the obtainable objects there are also gods consumableswhich will always be better with the progress of the gameand which above all will come in handy in the most difficult moments, perhaps healing you or allowing you to fix your vehicle.
Travel
In Sand Land, desert exploration is intensified by the use of radio towers scattered throughout each region, which once repaired they will reveal hidden map detailsilluminating ancient ruins and settlements vital to survival.
Traversing the vast landscape becomes more manageable thanks to the supply points waterwhich not only serve as points of quick travelbut they are essential for replenishing the player's health and water resources.
Navigation is then facilitated by the ability to place up to three pins on the mapwhich act as real waypoints, guiding players through vast and often hostile terrain. These same pins can highlight new discoveries, such as water sources or newly revealed ruins, helping plan the next strategic moves. To discover hidden routes or overcome seemingly insurmountable geographical divides, careful examination of the map is often necessary, zooming in on areas that hide secret passages or using vehicles to overcome obstacles.
In all this, the ability Radar Of thief it will prove indispensable for locating rare objects, enriching the player's resources right from the initial stages of the game. This journey is dotted with missions of various types, from rescue operations that can lead to the rescue of NPCs in danger – rewarding the player with currency, objects or new citizens – to exploratory missions that invite you to discover ruins and caves full of treasures and diaries.
The adventure also includes dynamic racingwhere players can compete to win valuable prizes and missions cut which offer the possibility of accumulating experience and resources by continuously improving one's combat and exploration strategies.
Technically the game uses it same aesthetic style seen in the seriesproposing a cel-shaded (but with a non-locked frame rate as seen in the film and serial production), with an English or Japanese dubbing accompanied by subtitles and menus in Italian. All in all, the graphic impact adapts well to the rest of the game, and vice versa, overall offering a very pleasant experience for the eyes and ears, capable of accompanying us between well-structured cutscenes directorically, and fun gameplay moments, whether with vehicles or with Beelzebub.
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