You’ve probably seen the trailer by now. A skeletal warrior, glowing with an eerie gold light, ripping through hordes of enemies in a desert that looks like it wants to swallow him whole. It’s called Loulan: The Cursed Sand, and honestly, it’s one of the most interesting things to come out of the PlayStation China Hero Project in a long time.
There is a lot of noise online right now. Some people are calling it a "Souls-like." Others are saying it’s the return of the classic PS2-era hack-and-slash. So, what’s the real story?
Basically, you’re playing as a disgraced royal guard. He’s dead, but not quite gone. Resurrected as a skeletal entity known as the "Cursed Sand," he has to navigate the ruins of the ancient Loulan Kingdom to find his lost princess. It’s a tragic love story wrapped in a very violent, sand-filled shell.
Why Everyone is Talking About Loulan: The Cursed Sand
The hype isn't just because it looks pretty. ChillyRoom, the developer, is a relatively small team of about 16 people. But here is the kicker: the team includes veterans who worked at heavy hitters like Santa Monica Studio (the God of War team), FromSoftware, and PlatinumGames.
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You can see that DNA everywhere in the gameplay. It’s fast. It’s heavy. When you hit something, you feel it.
The Dual-Form Mechanic
This is the heart of the game. You aren't just a skeleton with a sword. You can switch between two distinct states:
- Sand Form: This is your "balanced" mode. You're wrapped in golden sand, moving with a bit more grace. It’s tactical. You use sand-based projectiles, teleport to dodge, and even turn into a literal sandstorm to clear out smaller mobs.
- Bone Form: This is where things get brutal. The sand drops away, and you wield a massive blade forged from your own skeletal remains. This form is built for one-vs-many combat. It’s raw power.
Director Hongwen Huai has been pretty vocal about the inspiration here. They wanted to capture that "arcade-style" responsiveness. Think back to the original God of War or Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It's not about slowly poking at a boss for ten minutes; it's about fluid, cinematic destruction.
Is it Actually a Souls-like?
Short answer: Kinda, but mostly no.
If you go on Reddit, you'll see a lot of back-and-forth on this. While the world is dark and the bosses are colossal, the combat is way more "spectacle fighter" than "stamina management simulator." There’s no heavy "clunk" to the movement. It’s stylish. It’s fast.
The "Cursed Sand" himself is inspired by real history. Ever heard of the "Beauty of Loulan" or the "Princess of Xiaohe"? These are real-life mummies found in the Tarim Basin. The developers took that haunting archaeological reality and turned it into a dark fantasy. It’s a cool way to bridge the gap between actual Chinese history and over-the-top action.
What to Expect from the World
- The Setting: You're on the ancient Silk Road. It’s not just flat dunes. You’ll be exploring ruined cities, frost-bound caverns (yes, there are ice spiders), and rivers made of flowing sand.
- The Enemies: You aren't just fighting mindless zombies. You’re up against the Loulan royal family—who apparently wield the power of the sun—and various supernatural threats that have moved into the vacuum left by the kingdom's fall.
- Platforms: It’s confirmed for PS5 and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store). There are whispers of an Xbox release later, but for now, Sony has the keys through their China Hero Project.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that this is just another Diablo clone because of the top-down perspective. It isn't.
Diablo is about loot and numbers. Loulan: The Cursed Sand is about skill and timing. The top-down camera is a stylistic choice to help manage the "one-against-many" encounters. You’ll be parrying, switching forms mid-combo, and using the environment—like pulling down boulders or using sand to solve puzzles—to get through levels.
It’s also important to note that while it’s an "indie" title, the production value is punching way above its weight class. The lighting alone in the latest trailers is enough to make some AAA titles look a bit dated.
Real Actionable Steps for Interested Players
If this sounds like your kind of game, don't just wait for a release date that hasn't been announced yet. Here is how you can actually keep tabs on it and prepare:
- Wishlist on Steam: This is the best way to support the devs right now. It helps with the algorithm and ensures you get the notification the second a demo or release date drops.
- Follow the China Hero Project: This game is part of a larger initiative. Keeping an eye on their updates often reveals behind-the-scenes footage that doesn't make it to the main PlayStation YouTube channel.
- Brush up on your "Character Action" games: If you’re used to slow RPGs, you might struggle here. Replaying some classic Devil May Cry or early God of War will get your brain back into the "form-switching" and "combo-linking" headspace.
- Check the System Specs: Since it's a PS5-lead title, if you're on PC, you're going to want a decent GPU. Don't expect this to run on a potato once the full particle effects of the sandstorms start kicking in.
Loulan: The Cursed Sand is shaping up to be a sleeper hit. It’s rare to see a game that respects ancient history while letting you chokeslam a demon into a pile of dust. Keep this one on your radar.