Earlier this month, the world misplaced a one-of-a-kind inventive expertise with the information of Akira Toriyama’s passing. Whereas Dragon Ball will all the time be Toriyama-sensei’s best-known work, he leaves behind a legacy stuffed with many different imaginative worlds throughout video games, anime, and manga. Earlier than leaving us, he labored with Bandai Namco to flesh out one in every of his quick manga creations additional: Sand Land. Alongside a new anime collection, Toriyama-sensei gave enter on a videogame adaptation of Sand Land that might permit gamers to discover this distinctive world for themselves.
The basic manga Sand Land lives on in Bandai Namco’s new sport, which ventures past the place the unique story concludes. Learn on to search out out what new adventures await our mech-powered demon hero in the wetlands, caves, and Forest Land. Talking of Forest Land, we even have a reveal of new gameplay from the woodland biome.
Each demon has his day
Sand Land follows the exploits of Beelzebub, the prince of a tribe of demons residing in an enormous desert atmosphere generally known as Sand Land. Due to his heritage, Beelzebub is mischievous, spoiled, and snarky, however he’s additionally received a gentle spot for serving to others in want and a robust sense of justice — even when he gained’t admit it. Sand Land is dealing with a disaster: water is turning into more and more scarce, as a egocentric human king is hoarding the live-giving useful resource. Whereas Sand Land descends into chaos as preventing over the restricted provide intensifies, Sheriff Rao approaches the demons to assist liberate the water provide. Beelzebub, his handservant Thief, and the ever-mysterious Rao to assist Sand Land and perhaps even realms past.
Sand Land is an motion RPG with an enormous world to discover. You immediately management Beelzebub, who’s accompanied by companions Thief and Rao. Beelzebub is the one who will get in the thick of most of the motion, utilizing hand-to-hand fight and darkish magic to beat his foes. The opposite characters present help and recommendation, bantering with the Prince about present occasions and suggesting the place to go and what to do subsequent.
Beelzebub is fairly nimble on foot, however one aspect that units Sand Land other than different titles is its emphasis on automobiles. Beelzebub can purchase and improve an enormous number of candy rides: bikes, tanks, hovercraft, dune buggies, and extra. Every car is tailored for sure terrain and fight conditions: bikes can get you round fundamental terrain with ease and velocity, whereas jump-bots can assist you spring as much as larger floor, and tanks are, nicely, tanky. Automobiles you purchase will be upgraded and personalized with weapons, paint, and emblems to make them every uniquely yours.
What’s particularly useful is that Beelzebub can name upon a lot of his automobiles with just a few button presses. All it takes is a poof, and you’ve received some mega mobility or heavy firepower proper subsequent to you, able to go. In fact, these machines aren’t invincible, and you’ll have to preserve your ammo shares replenished. Nonetheless, when it’s essential scale that cliff or cross that moat, you’ve received your essential tools at hand–and typically you’ll be able to simply hijack one thing neat-looking you discover mendacity round. Generally, your candy trip would possibly even be alive.
Into the woods
Sand Land is a big sport. Not solely do you will have all of Sand Land to discover — and the base of Spino to rebuild — however the story continues previous the manga’s ending and introduces an entire additional setting to discover: the verdant Forest Land.
After preventing by a sprawling dungeon, we washed up on this new atmosphere. It was clear it might be no stroll in the park — there was plenty of sinister scheming amongst the Forest Land army. We have been then tasked with rescuing a lass named Ann from her captors. It’s not a simple feat since she’s holed up in a fort teeming with guardian troopers.
However Beelzebub is aware of how one can be a sneaky little satan and has simply the proper strikes to creep up on—and then scare the bejeezus out of—some hapless troopers who’ve by no means seen an actual demon earlier than.
Not everybody’s going to faint after they see a scary face, although. Fortuitously, that’s the place the tank is available in. Bringing out the massive weapons and making professional use of the tank’s particular Outrigger skill laid waste to Ann’s captors—and once we confronted off in opposition to the boss, we received to hijack some candy melee-mashing battle armor to carry residence with us.
Taking up the world
Sand Land is brimming with sidequests and actions exterior the important story missions. Beelzebub is raring to show his greatness, and to that finish, he’s blissful to assist his fellow demons and, nicely, perhaps some people too. Monster issues? Particular deliveries? Unexplored territory? This Prince can deal with all of it.
In fact, with miscreants working rampant throughout Sand Land, it solely is smart that there can be bounties on a few of the extra infamous creatures and criminals. A number of gangs named after card fits occupy their territories and don’t take kindly to intruders. One such gang, the Hearts, has a novel sense of decor for his or her not-so-hidden hideout. If Beelzebub can infiltrate their HQ, he’ll discover that there’s an enormous bounty on the chief—however he’s not taking place with out a combat.
Sand Land seems to be set to ship on a big promise: immersing you in Toriyama-sensei’s massive, lovely world and epic story. With graphics that seize the manga’s intricate linework, characters and interactions crammed with intrigue and humor, and an entire lot of raptor-riding, magic-wielding, tank-busting motion, it’s arduous to think about a greater tribute to the life and legacy of Akira Toriyama.