SAND: Raiders of Sophie is a multiplayer extraction shooter where players explore a desert planet using enormous walking machines called Tramplers. Developed by Hologryph and TowerHaus, the game takes place in an alternate version of 1910, where a former colony of the Austro-Hungarian Empire has become a wasteland. Players build mechanical vehicles, search abandoned settlements for resources, and fight hostile creatures or rival scavengers. The main objective is to collect valuable supplies and successfully extract before losing everything gathered during the expedition.

Exploring the Remains of Sophie

The planet Sophie was once covered by oceans, but an environmental disaster transformed its surface into a desert. Abandoned cities, shipwrecks, and industrial structures contain resources left behind by the former inhabitants. Players travel between these locations using Tramplers, customizable walking fortresses that function as transportation, storage, and combat platforms. The game presents its history through the environment rather than a traditional story campaign. Expeditions involve exploring ruins, encountering undead creatures called Upiors, and competing with other players for valuable items.

Building and Operating a Trampler

SAND: Raiders of Sophie combines first-person shooting with vehicle construction and exploration. Players design their Tramplers before deployment and equip them with the components needed for survival.

The main gameplay activities include:

•         Construct a Trampler using modular mechanical parts.
•         Install engines, armor, storage areas, and mounted weapons.
•         Pilot the walking machine across the desert.
•         Explore abandoned buildings and collect valuable resources.
•         Fight hostile creatures and competing players.
•         Transport collected loot back to the Trampler.
•         Complete contracts and prepare equipment for future expeditions.
•         Reach an extraction point to secure your rewards.

Players can save their Trampler designs as blueprints, allowing damaged or destroyed machines to be reconstructed. During expeditions, crew members can divide responsibilities between piloting, operating weapons, and searching locations.

Expeditions, Game Modes, and Progression

SAND: Raiders of Sophie features two main modes. Voyage provides a persistent open-world environment with opportunities to explore and collect lower-tier resources. Storm Dive introduces higher-value rewards and increasing danger as sandstorms gradually reduce the safe area.

The game does not use traditional numbered levels. Instead, progression depends on completing expeditions, gathering equipment, improving Trampler designs, and extracting successfully. Losing a battle can result in losing the resources collected during the current journey.

Players can explore alone or cooperate with others while competing against rival crews. The procedurally generated world changes between expeditions, creating different encounters and exploration routes.

The main challenge is deciding how much risk to accept before returning to safety. Successful expeditions provide resources for improving equipment and preparing for more difficult journeys across Sophie.