Action-RPG Sand Land looks like the Mad Max revival we never got, and it's out in April
Akira Toriyama's manga game has some extensive car customization
Action-RPG Sand Land, from manga legend Akira Toriyama, releases in just a few months from now on April 26.
Sand Land will be a day one launch for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, as well as the last-gen PS4 and Xbox One systems. It might be an action-RPG, but apparently Bandai Namco's new game has a lot of vehicle-based combat, and not just in land dominated by sand, if the clip below is anything to go by.
From the creator of Dragon Ball, Sand Land rolls onto PS5 & PS4 April 26.New vehicular gameplay details revealed: https://t.co/zlzC0AD1x6 pic.twitter.com/UDrRUXKaFkJanuary 11, 2024
That's the 'Hovercar' you can see in the brief clip, according to the PlayStation Blog. This sort of seems like the base vehicle in Sand Land - it can cover gaps in the land with pretty decent speed, and can drive through tough terrain, but it also has miniguns for rapid suppressing fire.
The heavier version of this is the 'Hover Tank,' complete with its big cannon. The blog post claims vehicles can be customized with "hundreds" of parts, including primary and secondary weapons, engines, and even suspension parts. You can uncover new vehicle parts from dungeons and treasure chests as well.
Honestly, this is all sounding a bit Mad Max, what with the vehicle customization in the post-apocalyptic world. Avalanche's Mad Max game never really got the love it deserved all the way back in 2015, so maybe Bandai Namco's new action-RPG can deliver to the people what they wanted nearly a decade ago. After this info, I'm feeling pretty jazzed about Sand Land.
Check out our new games 2024 guide for a look ahead at all the other big-time releases set to debut over the coming few months.
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Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.
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