One of the surprises during this afternoon’s Summer Game Fest presentation was the announcement of a new Akira Toriyama inspired RPG: Sand Land.
When the trailer first kicked off, I thought we were finally seeing a new Dragon Quest game. And yet, Sand Land is even better! Bandai Namco revealed the new Action RPG during Summer Game Fest, which is based on the Dragon Ball creator’s other popular manga from 2000:
Dive into a desert world where both humans and demons suffer from an extreme water shortage. Play as and watch the Fiend Prince, Beelzebub, Sheriff Rao, and demon Thief set off on an adventure in search of a Legendary Spring hidden in the desert. Introducing himself as a “super evil fiend”, Beelzebub has a pure heart like a little boy but has superhuman strength and telepathic abilities. Rao, a small-town sheriff, seeks the aid of demons to save all of Sand Land from the water shortage. Thief, a wise old demon with thieving abilities also accompanies Beelzebub and Rao on their adventure.
Playing as Beelzebub, players will be able to explore a vast world accompanied by his unlikely group of demons and humans. Whether roaming in various vehicles, or traveling by foot, players will encounter dangers as well as helpful characters they meet in the vast desert while uncovering SAND LAND’s many secrets. Vehicular and character combat is a big part of the action in the game. Players will have access to a variety of vehicles that they can customize and equip with loadouts to traverse the desert, overcome obstacles, and take on a diverse assortment of mighty foes.
SAND LAND is a popular manga created in 2000 by Akira Toriyama, the author of DRAGON BALL and Dr. Slump, that has gained worldwide popularity since its publishing. In a desert world where demons and humans suffer from extreme water shortages, Beelzebub, the Fiend Prince, and Rao, a small-town sheriff, form a tag team and set off on an adventure in search of a hidden water source. In December 2022, the SAND LAND project was announced, where various partners have come together to bring this classic manga IP to transmedia. The project started with the co-production of an anime film by Bandai Namco Filmworks’ Sunrise Studio, Kamikazedouga Co. Ltd., and ANIMA Inc, followed by the official reveal of the SAND LAND game in June 2023.
No firm release date (or window) has been given, but Sand Land is in development for PlayStation 4|5, Xbox Consoles, and PC.
