Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 74 | 146 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 88% | 82 | 677 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 78 | 64 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 6 reviews sampled · 6 total reviews in window · weighted 6 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (143)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 60
“SAND LAND is a brightly colored game version of the original manga, which is sure to please fans of Akira Toriyama's work. However, modern players will encounter boring side quests, and a poorly developed combat system and stealth.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Sand Land effectively conveys its story through seamless animations and gameplay. The simple combat system is enhanced by the ability to upgrade machines and components, keeping the gameplay engaging. Despite its vast but sparse open world, there are always side quests or locations like bandit camps to explore, though these tasks can be pretty basic.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Sand Land arrives in the world of video games with an adaptation that does justice to Akira Toriyama's work, at least in terms of heart and soul. It may not be to the taste of those who were expecting a very deep experience in terms of mechanics, but it will satisfy the fans of the original work and its excellent author.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Despite all the negatives, I have to give Sand Land a positive review. It certainly pays a fitting tribute to the original creator. The main story alone is worth playing, and I can highly recommend it. However, I believe there will be many players who will enjoy all the side activities as well. Whether it’s worth the hefty price of 59.99 euros that publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment will ask you to pay is something you’ll have to decide for yourself. I had a lot of fun playing it, and Sand Land is a pleasant surprise for me.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Despite uneven storytelling and design flaws, Toriyama’s magical Sand Land is plenty amusing, a Shounen adventure not reliant on complexity.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“With its Mad Max-esque style, crazy characters, and battle between angels and demons, Sand Land walks familiar territory, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“'Sand Land' probably won't win any awards, but sometimes "alright" is good enough. As an excuse to spend some more time with Akira Toriyama after his untimely passing, it's as good as you'll get right now.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Sand Land shows how good Akira Toriyama's storytelling and world building really was, unfortunately this is all bogged down with an empty open world filled with repetitive tasks and little to no reward for doing them.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Sand Land is a game that is very Toriyama though and through. Sure, looking at games like Dragon Quest or Chrono Trigger, they are Toriyama-esque because of his assistance with character designs. But Sand Land is pure Toriyama. It captures his world building, highlights his character and mech designs and best of all it captures the sense of comedy that has been an integral part of many of his works.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“While everything in Sand Land is good, nothing really excels; the gameplay and combat is generally fun, but gets repetitive and tedious after a while; the story is good and surprisingly mature compared to other Akira Toriyama works’, but sometimes gets too superficial, making the core message a bit weak.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Faithful to the work of master Toriyama, Sand Land is a title that will mainly satisfy fans of the brilliant Japanese artist, but offers little to all other players. Shallow, poorly maintained and extremely repetitive, the game is saved by a well-done artistic technical realization and fun mecha/vehicle piloting phases.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Upon completing Sand Land, I'm left with fond memories of its narrative depth, cinematic moments, and the occasional tedious journey. Engaging with the manga version proves far more enjoyable; the adaptation could have reached greater heights, suggesting ambitious goals that fell short in execution.”
read full review ↗
GameMAG
INDIANTVCZ
La Orden del Pixel
Gaming Professors
eXputer
RPGamer
Mashable
Fun Factor
ani-game.com
SpaceNerd.it
STWGames Italia
Kakuchopurei…and 131 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch Version 1.0.5Jun 18, 2024
- Fix on demo stutter issueMar 27, 2024