Summary
With the focus ofSand Landundeniably being on the game’s faithful adaptation of the work of Akira Toriyama and its fast-paced and fun vehicular combat, its melee combat and on-foot sections tend to stick out as a case of mistaken identity. Not only is melee combat not nearly as fleshed out asSand Land’s vehicular combat (and its extensive upgrade and customization systems), but it’s simply not utilized enough to have any meaningful bearing on the overall experience. Surprisingly,Sand Landalso includes a fairly well-executed stealth system that players get to experience in a handful of early story missions, only for the mechanic to practically never rear its head again.
Before players obtain their firstvehicle inSand Land, the game places players in control of both Thief and Prince Beelzebub in two separate low-stakes stealth missions. The mechanics are simple but well-implemented, with players holding down a trigger to crouch, using cover to break enemy line-of-sight, and watching icons above characters' heads to indicate whether they’re turned away, facing the player, or actively looking in the player’s direction. After these early missions, though, stealth essentially becomes an afterthought, making it feel like it was planned for more implementation but then scrapped because of development constraints.
Sand Land’s ‘Metal Gear Solid-Lite’ Approach Could Carry its Own Game
One of the main drawbacks toSand Land’s limited incorporation of a competent stealth system is that it could have carried all the game’s on-foot sections as a direct contrast to the guns-blazing approach of the game’s vehicular combat. Melee combat inSand Landis hit-or-miss, with players able to fall back on the more powerful and effective vehicles in almost every scenario save for a handful of scripted moments and boss encounters. WithSand Land’s lighthearted and low-stakes take on theclassicMetal Gear Solidformula, the game could have differentiated its on-foot sections using the stealth system to give them a distinct character.
Especially withSand Landhaving a full day/night cycle and the ability to rest until a specific time, a more concentrated incorporation of the title’s stealth gameplay may have resulted in players needing to consider the strategic benefits of completing missions during a certain window. At the very least,Sand Land’s main and side missionsarguably needed more variety than they currently have, which is something more stealth missions could have addressed in a meaningful way.
Sand Land’s Interior Spaces are Built for Stealth
Though the titular Sand Land is a vast, wide-open desert wasteland where vehicle travel is both ideal and necessary,Sand Land’s interior spacesare practically tailor-made for the game’s stealth mechanics despite never using them. Aside from the expansive outdoor locales that comprise the bulk of both Sand Land and Forest Land’s maps, players will findSand Land’s main quest taking them to some of the following location types:
Interestingly,Sand Landmakes vehicle travel not just possible but recommended in each of these spaces. This only serves to further underscore the sentiment thatSand Landmisses a golden opportunity to differentiate its on-foot sections from the rest of the game.
The design of each of these interior spaces amounts to plenty of corridors with objects players could use as cover while sneaking. Despite their design being conducive to stealth, though,Sand Landplaces a priority on vehicular combat at all costs, negating what could otherwise be a perfect playground for the game’s competent stealth mechanics in favor of allowing players to use vehicles indoors. WhileSand Land’s vehiclesare one of the game’s signature components, the fact that stealth is introduced and then practically removed from the game makes its interior spaces seem underutilized.
Sand Land
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive into a desert world where both humans and demons suffer from an extreme water shortage - SAND LAND. Meet the Fiend Prince Beelzebub, his chaperone Thief, and the fearless Sheriff Rao, and follow the team on an extraordinary adventure in search of the Legendary Spring hidden in the desert, and much more. The end is only the beginning, as beyond this arid ground lies a mysterious new realm to explore - Forest Land.This action-RPG is a nostalgic and heartwarming world created by Akira Toriyama, where you will become the main character, Beelzebub. Learn how to control his powers and lead your company of heroic misfits, exploring the legendary world of SAND LAND and the brand-new Forest Land. But beware of the many dangers that populate them: between bandits, fierce wildlife, and ruthless Army Generals, reaching the spring and saving the world won’t be easy!Use your tact and imagination to develop tanks and other vehicles that will help you navigate these vast resourceful lands, using a wide array of part combinations. Build up your base of operations into a thriving city, with the help of the people you meet along the way in this desert.
