Akira Toriyama left us at the beginning of March, rather suddenly, even though his projects have never been so numerous. There is of course Dragon Ball Daima which is expected to be released this year, in 2024, but there is also the revival of his other series, Sand Land, which was just a short manga when he created it in 2000. What was just a small project 24 years ago has now become a much larger work, especially across multiple mediums. There was the animated film to start with, released in August 2023 in Japan at theaters and unfortunately not for France. A 1h45 film that simply recounts the story of the short manga. No film for the West, but a 13-episode series, with the first 7 episodes available since March 20 on Disney+. The rest is released at a rate of one episode per week every Wednesday. The series picks up where the film ended, continuing the story imagined by Akira Toriyama while keeping the foundation he created back then. And finally, we also have a video game coming next month, on April 26, 2024, the same day as TopSpin 2K25 and Stellar Blade. Madness. And that’s exactly what I’m going to talk to you about today, the video game, since Akira Toriyama helped Bandai Namco’s teams to develop the title properly, and I had the opportunity to discover its open world last week at a Parisian event. How is it? Is it good? First impressions with a controller in hand.
If you follow video game news and especially Sand Land, you have certainly noticed that a playable demo has been available since March 18, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series. A very limited demo that didn’t allow much except to explore a small desert area and test three vehicles and that’s it. Many people were disappointed by this demo, and that’s understandable, as besides moving through this limited area and fighting quickly, it was a bit sparse. I had the opportunity to spend a good part of the day playing the game at a press event organized by Bandai Namco, allowing us to test several different levels for over 3 hours and also to watch the animated film released last summer in Japan. That was the context.
THE SAND SEA
For newcomers or the younger audience, what is Sand Land? It’s the story of a trio of characters. Beelzébub to start with, who is a variant of Belzebuth, as you may have guessed. He is the prince of demons, the main character, the main character in good old French. He is accompanied by Thief, his protector, and Rao, a somewhat fearless sheriff. This team really breaks the mold and the fairly conventional codes of classic shonen, because as you can see, there’s a pink creature and two old folks. Let’s say it’s unusual enough to be noted, as usually, the old and the strange creatures are often sidekicks, mentors, or even irrelevant characters. Akira Toriyama was coming out of 10 years of Dragon Ball and clearly wanted to move on to something else with Sand Land. And the cool thing about the video game is that we will also be able to embody this trio. Not via real-time switching, but rather in dedicated missions where we will switch between them as the story dictates.
Together, they must find the legendary source capable of ending this water shortage and thus meet the needs of humans, as well as other creatures. There is also this notion of cohabitation between the two species that is subtly addressed, which is quite pleasant. While waiting to find the location of this magical spring, we will get to know these characters in a desert world and also learn about its gameplay mechanics. And then, you may ask this question: if the game strictly follows the manga, does that mean we’ll be dealing with desert in an open world throughout the adventure? A legitimate question since for many gamers, desert equals empty, lifeless scenery, which could lead to a sense of weariness. However, this reaction, though understandable, also shows that these people have never played Warner and Avalanche Studio’s Mad Max released in 2015 on PS4 and Xbox One, which proved that a desert environment could be completely engaging.
TORIYAMA PURE STYLE
Okay, the comparison is a bit vague, because even though I haven’t received the final version of Sand Land yet, I’m not sure its open world will be as successful as Mad Max. No, where Bandai Namco’s title will stand out is in the use of vehicles that we can pilot. Through a dropdown menu, Beelzébub can choose to control 5 different vehicles, which he can summon in the same way that capsules are made by Bulma and her father in Dragon Ball. There are actually many similarities between the two series, and for those who don’t know, Sand Land is set in the same universe as Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump, both created by Toriyama. An universe called The World. But let’s get back to our vehicles. So 5 in total that can be carried between missions, but there are many more in the game. It will be up to the player to choose which vehicle to transport, knowing that it will also be possible to customize and upgrade them as the game progresses. It is in peace hubs like bases or villages that we can customize all of this. New weapons to equip the vehicles, paint jobs, or emblems to give them your style, everything can be done.
Tank, robot, biped, motorcycle, hovercraft, the choice is nice and suitable for all kinds of situations. Each vehicle is tailored to a specific terrain or type of combat. For example, the motorcycle is the preferred vehicle for quick movement in the open world, while the jumping robots allow you to reach otherwise unreachable heights. To be the most effective and resilient against enemies and the very hostile fauna, it is highly recommended to summon the tank. The hovercraft, on the other hand, is the perfect vehicle for water travel, usually found in dungeons. What’s cool is that Beelzebub can summon his vehicles almost instantly, making mobility easier, whether in exploration or in platforming sections. Of course, these machines are not invincible, and attention also needs to be paid to ammunition reserves. For the extended story needs, the ILCA studio has further developed the Sand Land lore. There will be completely new and never-before-told storylines, with the help of Akira Toriyama who worked on them for several years before his death. For example, we will get to know Forest Land, a location created specifically for the video game, which will allow us to explore beyond the arid and desert-like environments. It will be an opportunity to discover something other than dunes in a scorching desert, but also a nation where nature has taken over and where humans have settled.
OPEN WORLD, EXPANDED UNIVERSE
Moreover, the locations are governed by an army led by a certain Muniel, a fierce dictator despite his childlike features. He is determined to save his country by seizing a reserve of Aquanium, a powerful but dangerous resource. Beelzébub and his friends will have to thwart his plans and fight his army and generals. To be combat-ready, Beelzebub can fight hand-to-hand in close combat and his demo condition allows him to be superior to humans. He also has the ability to use dark magic, but the game version we tested did not allow us to use them yet. The main idea was to get to know the three characters, whom we will be able to embody in specific situations, such as an infiltration passage with Thief, disguised as Santa Claus. Well, let’s be honest, it was quite basic as stealth mechanics, but at least the AI is more alert than the samurais in Rise of the Ronin, so that’s something.
Regarding the construction of the open world, it’s quite difficult for me to judge after 3/4 hours of gameplay, but know that it will include what is currently being done, with main missions, side quests, and a whole bunch of additional activities to vary the situations and extend the game’s lifespan. This is where the game has significant interest, as it will go beyond the short manga and make the most out of the lore. From what I’ve tested, it’s really successful in terms of fidelity. You really feel like you’re in the manga, and now in the anime, since the film and series are out. Bandai Namco and ILCA studio did a great job on the graphics, giving the impression of seeing the manga come to life. The game has retained that artistic touch unique to the manga, with vibrant colors, sketchy effects on the edges of the drawings, and outlines. The vehicles are particularly well-rendered, and I really like the ambiance that emanates from the desert. There’s this heat effect, with the image distorting in the distance, it works really well. In any case, since the film, the series, and the video game were all developed at the same time, there is a real artistic coherence that gives a sense of continuity across various mediums.
