Bandai Namco has shared a message from the late Akira Toriyama, detailing the mangaka's thoughts regarding the upcoming action RPG Sand Land based on his popular manga.
The message discussed the mangaka's thoughts on the gameplay of Sand Land and also mentioned a new area that was not shown in the original one-volume manga. It also included Akira's thoughts regarding the game when he saw bits and pieces of it in January 2024.
Akira Toriyama's Message
(Photo : ILCA Inc., Bandai Namco / Screenshot taken from Steam)
The release comes as the mangaka died in March 2024, which left many fans of his stories, such as Dragon Ball, Doctor Slump, and Dragon Quest, in mourning. The message that Bandai Namco just shared ended with Akira mentioning that he could "only play casual games."
In his message, Akira said that he was not able to watch through all of the gameplay of Sand Land. However, he already saw that the game expanded the worldview of the original manga that he created and added many new and exciting elements, according to Siliconera.
The mangaka said that Sand Land's graphics have an excellent balance of the atmosphere derived from the manga and its drawing style. He expects that the game will provide players with an exciting experience with a genuine sense of design and attention to detail.
He noted that the game adds new vehicle designs, various customizations, and background designs. Akira also mentioned a new world known as Forest Land that is filled with new characters that were not found in the original manga.
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He said that he himself was only able to play casual games but likes to check out trending games that his family plays. Akira ended his message by recommending Sand Land to players who loved his original creation.
Sand Land puts players into the shoes of the protagonist Beelzebub who is accompanied by a group of friends.
They are journeying through the world while also working to build up the town of Spino. Players are tasked with ending the tyrannical rule of the antagonist and the game also features a racing mini-game, said GamesRadar.
The World of Sand Land
Beelzebub is a small but powerful demonic scamp who, together with his companions, is trying to bring back water to the giant desert. This comes as the war for the remaining water source led to the King keeping control of a secret water source, giving him absolute control over the population.
Players will be able to take on bounty contracts, save locals, fight against some bosses, build up a house, and travel around the environment while collecting resources. You also have the option of upgrading your character and your companions with new combat abilities.
The game also features the occasional stealth missions but they are rarely seen that they are somewhat forgettable. Another core feature of Sand Land is letting players build their own vehicles that they can ride.
After finishing your quest in Sand Land, you can then traverse Forest Land, which is a much greener area than the first region. The relative ease of overworld fights fails to prepare players for the difficulty of the game's boss fights, according to Rock Paper Shotgun.
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