Sand Land Review – Xbox Series X

Developed by Bandai Namco and inspired by the revered – and recently departed – Akira Toriyama’s manga, Sand Land promises an adventure that both brings the best nostalgic elements of a classic JRPG, but is brought to bear in a decidedly modern open-world videogame structure.

As the sun beats down on the arid landscape, players step into the shoes of three unlikely heroes: Beelzebub, a demon prince with a tarnished reputation, Thief, an old demon who dispenses wisdom and pilfers in equal measure and Sheriff Rao, an ageing human who clings to the last vestiges of justice.

Their mission? To find the last natural wellspring and restore life to a dried-out world.

So far, so typical in terms of an apocalyptic setting…but this mash-up of Borderlands, Mad Max and World of Tanks takes players in some decidedly unexpected directions – read on in our review!

Story

The narrative of Sand Land mirrors the source manga’s whimsical yet poignant storytelling. Akira Toriyama, renowned for creating “Dragon Ball,” brings his signature style to this game from visuals to dialogue and intriguing subject matter.

The dialogue crackles with wit, and the characters—whether demon, human, or something in between—come alive on the screen. As Beelzebub and his team traverse the unforgiving desert, they encounter ancient ruins, cryptic inscriptions, and a conspiracy that spans generations, all the while being hunted by Sand Land’s Royal Guard, opportunistic bandits and everyone in between.

Toriyama’s trademark humour and depth are woven throughout, making every interaction memorable, but when prescient topics like the media’s role in the reporting of conflicts influencing audiences, proxy wars and even genocide come up, they hit with a surprising punch.

Certainly weightier subject matter than the game initially indicates – a change even for those familiar with the source material – but all are dealt with passion and nuance, making for a surprisingly engaging tale.

Equally, the interesting dynamic of this being a world inhabited by rarely-seen demons existing alongside humans, and the selfless acts of Beelzebub (fondly referred to as “Bee-Ellz” as the crew gets to know him) playing against his role as Prince of the Underworld frequently brings levity.

Gameplay

The heart of “Sand Land” lies in really hearkening back to a nostalgic era of kitchen-sink gameplay – where one moment you could be stealthily infiltrating an army base a la Metal Gear, the next jumping over barrels in a side-scrolling homage to a certain moustachioed plumber.

It’s an RPG that combines open-world exploration with vehicle-based adventures but is more than happy to sprinkle in everything from Quick Time Events to hand-to-hand combat to keep players guessing.

Players can navigate the treacherous dunes in a variety of customizable vehicles, each with unique abilities. Starting with Rao’s perfectly serviceable police car (complete with supplies in tow), quickly upgrading to a recently ‘liberated’ tank as well as a mech suit and spritely-footed Jump Bot, there’s no shortage of ways to navigate the vast terrain, all with their pros and cons, as well as infinitely customisable with craftable parts and all manner of loot.

The scarcity of resources sees watering holes and watercoolers act as save points and fast travel destinations dotted across the map, but the sense of pootling about with your mates as they spout all sorts of (slightly repetitive) banter lends a road trip vibe to proceedings pretty quickly.

Combat, while not the game’s primary focus, provides moments of intensity. Vehicular combat lends some surprising depth, with initial boss encounters highlighting everything from elevation and accounting for bullet drop to using the landscape to your advantage giving a surprisingly realistic dimension to cel-shaded tank skirmishes.

Melee combat proves more divisive, although the archetypal skill tree meters out additional combos, moves and passive as well as active buffs for your teammates that quickly bolster the fighting, but it rarely rivals the sheer fun of blasting an enemy tank on the horizon or tackling a massive scorpion in the Outback.

Exploration is at the core of Sand Land, even if one way it manifests is by finding radio towers which remove ‘fog’ from the map and lead to new discoveries…we know, it’s the most cynical take on open-world game design, but this one is genuinely interesting to travel round and plenty of signposted side missions or random events crop up at every turn.

The vast desert conceals secrets—forgotten temples, lost civilizations, and cryptic symbols etched into stone. As players uncover these mysteries, they piece together the world’s history. The lore is rich, drawing inspiration from real-world myths and legends, as well as some real-life conflicts.

Sand Land certainly caters to players of all skill levels, to the point where – despite the lore constantly reminding you that Beelzebub is meant to be ridiculously strong – we bumped the difficulty up to hard as even the initial boss fights were barely giving us a scratch. That being said, it certainly ramps up at around the 15-hour mark of this lengthy adventure, but tweaking the settings should be a consideration if you don’t want to steamroll the competition!

Graphics and Audio

Visually, Sand Land lovingly pays homage to Toriyama’s distinctive art style, with the Xbox Series X delivering crystal clear 4K visuals, with the frame rate holding its own for the most part despite vast open vistas

The desert is brought to life with vibrant colours during the day and haunting hues at night. The shifting sands, shimmering mirages, and crumbling ruins evoke a sense of desolation.

The game’s soundtrack also deserves mention. It captures the essence of the recently launched anime while providing an auditory backdrop that enhances the immersive experience. The haunting melodies during sandstorms, the triumphant fanfare when discovering an oasis—each note resonates with emotion.

The voice cast are all giving it their anime best too, with Beelzebub’s 90s ‘cool’ attitude proving a constant source of comic relief, but with Thief being a standout star with the funniest – and cringey – one-liners.

Verdict

Sand Land is a game that stands out for its storytelling, world-building, and homage to Toriyama’s visuals, whilst expanding and diverging from his original tale in some novel and interesting ways.

While it has gameplay areas with room for improvement – particularly an unhealthy amount of fetch quests and shaky on-foot combat – the overall experience is a testament to the enduring appeal of Toriyama’s creations. It’s a must-play for fans and a welcoming gateway for newcomers to the world of Sand Land.

With a unique blend of exploration, strategy, open-world fun, and a narrative that is sure to captivate players from start to finish, Sand Land offers a unique and surprisingly poignant gaming experience that shouldn’t be missed.