Cozy metroidvania back with it's amazing art style and tight controls. As usual with these games I go the wrong way and find bosses I'm not prepared for. Not sure if it's me taking the wrong path, I'm missing upgrades, or they really make some encounters much harder.

Overall great game.

Sand Land is my sit-back-and-relax game of the year. As one of Akira Toriyama's final projects—and a manga/anime I hadn’t explored before—it was both a thrilling and bittersweet experience to play through.

The characters are brought to life through exceptional voice acting and vibrant animation, making every cutscene a visual and emotional treat. The story itself feels like Toriyama's own spin on Mad Max, blending post-apocalyptic grit with his signature charm.

The gameplay is centered around vehicular combat, where you battle using an array of customizable rides found throughout the world. If combat’s not your thing, you can easily opt to avoid most fights and focus purely on exploration. The game also features simple platforming challenges, which require specific vehicles to complete, lending it a light Metroidvania vibe that rewards progression.

TL;DR: I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this game. The standout features for me were the imaginative character designs and the deeply satisfying vehicle upgrade system.

Somehow Capcom always finds a way to keep Monster hunting fresh. New monsters, better mobility, free content updates and event, and flawless online coop make this another great entry to the franchise.