I dove into Sand Land ready to rule its deserts as Beelzebub, the Fiend Prince. Developed by ILCA, Inc. and published by Bandai Namco on April 25, 2024, this action RPG brings Toriyama’s style to life in every scene. Below, I share my thoughts, strategies, and tips for speedrunners aiming to shave minutes off their runs.
Overall Impressions
From the first dune to the final boss, Sand Land shines with vibrant, hand-drawn visuals and a lovable misfit crew. Moreover, it nails the feel of an anime road trip across a scorching wasteland. Compared to other action RPGs, it stands out thanks to vehicle-based exploration and Toriyama’s rich world-building. However, simple combat and repeated cave designs sometimes slow the pace. Still, its strong reviews are well deserved, and fans will treasure this faithful adaptation.
Gameplay Mechanics
Sand Land blends on-foot hack‑and‑slash with high-speed vehicle battles for a fresh gameplay loop. On foot, you link swipes, dashes, and a powerful demon blast—then cancel dashes to clear mobs quickly. Meanwhile, vehicle fights feel like a lighter Armored Core: customize cannon loadouts, tweak boost mods, and zip through maps with precision. These mechanics balance simplicity with speedrun potential, making each session both fun and fast.
Exploration offers hidden rewards, but optional chests often feel skippable unless they grant key mods. Additionally, invisible walls and sudden death pits can break your flow, so aim for short jump cooldowns to dodge frustrating mistakes. While the shallow combat suits younger players, veteran speedrunners will find the real challenge in perfecting routes and fine-tuning vehicles. As a result, Sand Land stays both welcoming and endlessly replayable.
Story and Characters
You lead a ragtag team. A Thief, an Inventor, a Warrior, and a mischievous friend—whose banter anchors the story. Toriyama’s humor sparkles in their lines, though frequent chatter can be distracting during runs, so I mute party talk to focus on movement cues. The plot centers on a water crisis and a search for a legendary spring. While lighter than the anime, side quests deepen the lore. Like racing an NPC to fix an ancient mech, a fun mini–speedrun in itself.
Visuals and Graphics
Visually, Sand Land feels like a living manga. Character models, textures, and shading look hand-painted, and cutscenes blend 2D line art with 3D depth. Each desert region features its own color palette. From fiery reds to twilight blues. On the other hand, caverns sometimes reuse assets and feel empty. To tighten your run, map cave layouts on your first playthrough and mark shortcuts. You’ll cut nearly ten minutes off your desert quest.
Sound and Music
Composer Masaru Ito delivers a rich, cinematic score. Tracks shift from upbeat desert shanties to dramatic boss themes, which pumped me up during the final fight. Voice acting ranges from solid to flat, so I mute extra dialogue and rely on subtitles for objectives. Sound effects, from tank engines to demon blasts, pop with impact. Overall, the audio design pulls you into the world and keeps the adrenaline high.
Difficulty and Replayability
The default difficulty feels approachable, and even Hard offers few surprises for optimized builds. Replay value relies on hunting every chest and side quest. For speedruns, I aim for sub‑three‑hour clears by skipping detours. Although no new modes unlock after the story, vehicle customization and the bounty system extend playtime. Grinding bounties to unlock rare cannon parts kept me exploring long after the credits.
Developer Trivia and Behind-the-Scenes
ILCA, Inc. worked closely with Akira Toriyama’s team to refine character art, with early sketches of Beelzebub prototypes shaping the final designs. Plus, ILCA repurposed Bandai Namco’s exportable engine tools from recent anime tie‑ins for smooth desert performance. Meanwhile, Masaru Ito, known for Chrono Cross, weaves nostalgic melodies into the score. Consequently, these behind‑the‑scenes efforts blend past and present, making Sand Land a fresh yet familiar adventure.
Final Thoughts
Sand Land excels in art direction, world design, and vehicle combat customization, though it could deepen its combat and exploration rewards. Still, it’s a charming romp perfect for Toriyama fans and speedrunners alike. My top tip: master dash cancels, tune your tank for max boost, and map cave shortcuts early. These strategies cut valuable minutes from your runs.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Sand Land stands as a well-made, visually stunning action RPG with room for mechanical polish. Its heart and style secure its place among my favorite Toriyama adaptations.
Speedrun Tip Summary
Maximize your Sand Land speedrun with rapid-fire cannons and recharge mods, chaining dash cancels to clear mobs swiftly. Mute distracting party chatter, map caverns on your first playthrough, and skip optional chests unless they hold essential mods. Whether you crave record-breaking runs or a sun‑baked story experience, these Sand Land speedrun tips ensure an unforgettable adventure.
