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Earlier this month, it was announced that beloved manga artist and creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, had passed away at the age of 68.
Toriyama was an incredibly acclaimed individual in the world of anime, bringing Dragon Ball to life alongside its follow-ups Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super. The artist also leant his talents to the Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest franchises.
“He has left many manga titles and works of art to this world. Thanks to the support of so many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative activities for over 45 years. We hope that Akira Toriyama's unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come,” read a statement issued by Bird Studio.
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In the days following the news, TV networks held Dragon Ball Z marathons whilst fans organised gatherings within games including Final Fantasy XVI, Dragon Quest 10, and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 to honour the late artist.
Bird Studio’s statement went on to add that Toriyama had “several works in the middle of creation,” with one of those projects being the upcoming Sand Land.
Take a look at Sand Land in action below.
Sand Land is an upcoming action RPG based on the comic book series of the same name by Toriyama.
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It follows characters Beelzebub, Rao, Ann, and Thief as they embark on a perilous journey through the desert in order to locate a legendary spring but, of course, they encounter more than a few obstacles on the way.
Played from a third-person perspective, Sand Land features a mixture of melee combat and special abilities - with vehicles acting as the main method of traversal.
Those eagerly anticipating its release don’t have much longer to wait as it’s set to land on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox Series X/S on 26 April.
You can actually dive in before then though, free of charge.
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A free demo has just been released across all of those aforementioned platforms - and no, you don’t need PlayStation Plus nor Xbox Game Pass to enjoy it.
During the demo, you’ll get to explore a limited section of the map, playing as Beelzebub, Rao, and Thief.
Your progress won’t transfer over to the full game upon release but you will unlock a few helpful tools you’ll later be able to redeem in the main game.
How can you possibly turn down the chance to explore yet another one of Toriyama's wondrous worlds?
Topics: PlayStation, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Sony, Bandai Namco, Anime