UNDER the SAND - a road trip simulator

Casual· Exploration· Choose Your Own Adventure· Immersive Sim

Released Sep 2020

You. Your car. And world under the sand.

78% positive · 1,607 reviews

Not yet

Released, but still in active development

High confidence

Active Development

Not yet

Released, but still in active development

High confidence

Active Development

Where to buy

Steam Updated 12 Oct 2026 $19.99

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Evaluation

UNDER the SAND is a solo-developed game that has been receiving an extraordinary volume of updates since its 1.0 release in September 2020. In 2025, the developer shipped 16 updates, and the pace has continued into 2026 with six more updates between May and July alone. The most recent update (#35) arrived on July 30, 2026, just 28 days before today's date, adding vehicle repair functionality, a new language, and various fixes. Before that, Update #34 (July 14) added a new point of interest — an abandoned trailer park — along with 11 new achievements. Update #33 (July 3) introduced the game's first 26 Steam achievements and 46 new music tracks. Updates #30–#32 (May 8–18) added a new truck vehicle class, a new SUV, and collectible mechanics for the game's seventh anniversary. In a detailed year-in-review post on December 29, 2025, the developer laid out plans for 2026 targeting 20+ updates, including six new cars, twelve new POIs (such as a train station, police station, and factory), a new canyon biome, hitchhiker random events, expanded car customization (turbochargers, exhaust pipes, spoilers), character costumes, new world interaction mechanics, reworked radiation mechanics, danger zones, and expanded world generation. With 10 updates already shipped in 2026 by July 30, the developer is well on track to meet or exceed that target, and many of the specific items from the roadmap (canyon biome, hitchhikers, turbochargers, etc.) have not yet appeared in any shipped update, confirming that substantial planned content remains in the pipeline. This game is clearly in the middle of a very active development cycle with no indication of slowing down.

Evidence

Update #35 shipped on July 30, 2026, adding vehicle part repair functionality, a new Turkish localization, and various fixes. The developer also refreshed the store page with a new trailer and redesigned artwork.

news post · Jul 30, 2026 source development ongoing

high

Update #34 shipped on July 14, 2026, adding a new abandoned trailer park point of interest and 11 new Steam achievements.

news post · Jul 14, 2026 source content shipped

high

Media

Details

Developer

IndieMax

Publisher

IndieMax

Achievements

Platform

Windows

Controller

partial support

Steam Deck

Playable

Players

Single-player

Casual Exploration Choose Your Own Adventure Immersive Sim Roguelite Racing Sandbox Driving Survival Physics Automobile Sim Action-Adventure First-Person Post-apocalyptic Relaxing

About this game

1980's. Alternative reality. Global warming has turned the whole world into a endless desert. Due to the aggressive climate, the blessings of civilization gradually go under the sand. Set out on a long journey on your old pickup truck to fulfill the last request of your late father. But is there a place left on this planet where it’s possible to do this?

FEATURES

INFINITELY GENERATED PATH

Over 200 kilometers of unique road sections - asphalt and off-road.
Over 20 unique points of interest that you can encounter along the way.
Forks and crossroads - you can choose your own path.
Don't forget to stop by roadside stores to sell all your junk!
How far can you drive?

ASSEMBLY, MAINTENANCE AND TUNING OF CARS

Expandable fleet of cars of different classes that can be found while traveling the world
Almost all car parts can be removed and changed - wheels, doors, hood, steering wheel, engine, battery, headlights on the roof, dashboard figures and more
Liquid transfer - the car will not move without gasoline, and without water in the radiator the engine will overheat
Advanced vehicle physics. Tires behave differently on different surfaces and accidents lead to damage to car parts
Choose your driving style - install an economical engine and enjoy a calm ride, or install a racing engine and start drifting
Make your vehicle unique by painting various parts - from the body to the wheel rims
Working suspension!

CREATE YOUR CHARACTER

Ability to customize the character's appearance - from hair to eyebrows
Several classes to choose from - from a wanderer to a punk - each has its own characteristics

FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE GAME EXPERIENCE

Ability to customize the degree of damage, thirst, hunger and fatigue of the character
Ability to customize the degree of damage to cars, as well as fluid consumption
Want to meet more objects and locations in the world? Such a setting is also available!

EVEN MORE FEATURES?

No zombies, maniacs or crazy animals. This game is about cars, driving and exploring the world
Bright, juicy stylized low-poly graphics. On the verge of cartoonish and semi-realistic
Music cassettes! Insert them into your car radio and listen to music of different genres. From calm lo-fi to hard rock
There's a cat at home that needs feeding!
And this is a game about traveling, after all!