How is Hot Sand not close? It's very close, almost feels like I was playing the same game tbh.
I played Hot Sand a long time ago, and this game and the other game are better in different ways. but, both have different textures and stories, and both are interesting in different ways. the first one is more like an old century, while Desert Stalker is like a modern war with modern technology after the apocalypse...
but both have different plot development, as
xapican said, it is disrespectful to both developers to compare the game. each is good in its own way