Sand: Raiders of Sophie: How to Unlock Boxes

Sand: Raiders of Sophie is a brand new and pretty great extraction shooter that doesn't offer much in the way of information in terms of how to play. This can be wildly frustrating, especially in the first few hours of the game and when you're on your first few voyages.

Much like Sea of Thieves, oddly enough, the game has some boxes you can find scattered around the POIs that will be locked, unlike almost every other box. It feels a little maddening when you find a few of these boxes, but you aren't exactly sure how to get them open.

This guide will walk you through the different kinds of boxes you're likely to run into and how to get them open. These can be a great boost to your loot while you're out exploring, so making sure you've got the boxes and a way to open them is paramount.

What are Locked Boxes?

These kinds of boxes can come in a few different shapes and sizes, but for the most part, you'll be able to discern what's in them based on what kind of box they are. Each box will only contain the kind of loot related to it, and you can use this knowledge to think about which boxes you may open first.

For instance, if you're in desperate need of a fuel rod for your Trampler to not stop dead in the sands, you'll want to open the Utility Locked Box first, before opening something like a Valuables Locked Box. The boxes are likely to have much better loot and more loot than the average boxes you'll find lying around.

Where to Find Locked Boxes

There's no denying that the map in this game is humongous, so having rewarding exploration is an absolute must. Thankfully, Sand won't just leave you out in the desert searching for scraps and does offer some more direct ways to get the loot you want.

Technically speaking, you can find Locked Boxes at any small location or POI, but it is far more common to find them at the named locations. Don't let that discourage you from checking any ships you might pass along the way. I've found more than a few that way.

Finding them won't be easy, as they're usually hidden in some smaller alcoves in locations or on top of buildings. Just keep an eye out for them as you travel around and grab any you find to stack on your Trampler.

How to Unlock Locked Boxes

This is where things start to get a little tricky. See, finding the boxes actually gets pretty easy once you start meaningfully exploring and learning the land, but finding the keys to unlock those boxes is another story entirely.

Scattered around the desert, you'll find some small keys that unlock these boxes. They can spawn pretty much anywhere and are fairly small, so keep your eyes peeled while you're roaming around.

Finding them in boxes seems fairly rare, but they're far more likely to appear when you visit named locations. They're never a guarantee, so banking on finding enough keys to open every box isn't particularly wise.

The keys can be stacked in a single slot up to six, and you'll probably want to keep them on your person to make opening boxes easier. They can be placed inside other boxes, but you'll absolutely want to try and use them before you extract.

Rewards

The rewards you'll receive in this strange FPS game from locked boxes will be significantly greater than others. They typically have more items and greater stacks of those items, which can be very helpful when you're trying to get geared up for the Storm Dive mode.

While Sand: Raiders of Sophie may not be the best extraction shooter available right now, it's still a great Early Access title to try out. If you're interested in a little desert cowboy action with a raiding twist, this game has a good bit to offer.