Sand Land review: faithful adaptation runs out of gas

“Sand Land is a definitive adaption of a great Akira Toriyama manga, but just fine as a game.”

Pros

• A faithful adaptation
• Enjoyable vehicle combat
• Rewarding sidequests
• Beautiful art

Cons

• Second half’s story is weak
• Unpolished melee combat
• Generic open-world activities

The joy of adaptations lies in experiencing familiar moments from one medium reimagined in another. Video games, in particular, offer a unique opportunity to bring static source material to life through gameplay. Sand Land, a manga by Akira Toriyama, has been transformed into an open-world action game by Bandai Namco Entertainment, allowing players to relive iconic scenes from the pages of the manga.

While Sand Land succeeds in faithfully adapting the source material, it struggles to surpass expectations. It offers fans of Toriyama’s work a comprehensive video game adaptation but falls short of being groundbreaking.

The game follows the adventures of Beelzebub, the prince of demons, and a human named Rao as they search for a legendary spring in a desolate desert. The manga’s narrative, which delves into themes of environmental crisis and power dynamics, remains relevant and thought-provoking.

Although Sand Land excels in adapting the manga’s first half, the addition of new story elements in the latter half feels lackluster. The introduction of new conflicts and characters, while an attempt to align with the new anime series, falls short of the creativity seen in the original source material.

Additionally, the game’s open-world design, while visually appealing, lacks innovation. The vehicle combat, a highlight of the game, is engaging but lacks complexity. Players can customize their vehicles, but the melee combat sections feel unpolished and mundane in comparison.

Tank time

Sand Land offers an open-world experience with a focus on tank and vehicle combat. Players can explore expansive worlds, utilize different vehicles, and engage in combat encounters. While the vehicle combat is well-executed, the melee combat aspects fall short in terms of gameplay mechanics and excitement.

Vehicle combat is polished yet lacks depth…

Vehicle customization adds depth to the gameplay, allowing players to craft and upgrade their vehicles. However, the open-world activities and sidequests, while rewarding, fail to deliver a truly immersive experience. The game’s side activities, particularly stealth missions, lack creativity and engagement.

Sand Land offers a safe and faithful video game adaptation that may appeal to fans of the manga series. While it has its strengths, such as Toriyama-style art and enjoyable vehicle combat, the game falls short in delivering a truly immersive and captivating experience.

For fans of Sand Land, the game may provide an enjoyable experience, but those unfamiliar with the source material may find it lacking in originality and depth. Overall, Sand Land stands as a competent adaptation but fails to reach the heights of innovation and storytelling seen in other video game adaptations.

Sand Land was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

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