Nested Lands News

In Nested Lands, our aim is to seamlessly connect the survival and management elements and genres into one, thus creating something that is both unique and engaging. In a world that has been devastated by a mortifying disease, players will need to balance both aspects if they hope to stay alive. As we’ve said before:
“You must survive to grow your village, and you must grow your village to survive.”

[h2]The Player[/h2]

Players in Nested Lands will find themselves constantly at conflict with their own needs. Hunger, thirst, warmth, energy, hygiene, and, of course, health and stamina are all parameters which will determine not only the player’s survival, but also how effective they are when doing any other actions.

Gathering food and drink is essential, but keeping warm, clean and healthy are also extremely important in order to explore, fight, and find the necessary resources to facilitate future initiatives. For example, eating a berry or an apple might be good enough not to starve, but, in order to truly conquer famine, players might wish to build a Cooking House, where more developed recipes, which not only sate hunger, but may also aid the player in other ways, such as curing certain status effects or even raise max HP, become available.



In addition to that, recruiting and hiring a good cook will help even more, allowing players to feed more people, further develop their settlement, and focus on other, more pressing matters. Speaking of which:

[h2]The Village
[/h2]
Surviving is all well and good, but a lone person can hardly hope to do more than that. In the desolate land of Norovellir, numbers are equal to strength. After preparing enough, players will want to venture out into the world, searching not only for new items and resources, but also for trustworthy people, capable of both improving day-to-day life in the village, as well as protecting it from those that may wish it harm.



Once recruited, NPCs will be able to undertake a variety of tasks that aid in the growth of the Village. From gatherers and farmers to cooks and blacksmiths, all the way to herbalists and even guards, these people will be the key to having a successful settlement. Still, players must engage with them often, not only to win their trust and help them with unfinished businesses, but also to keep an eye on potential troublemakers. With each NPC having their own skills and traits, which define what tasks they are more proficient in, these villagers may become the most important luxury in Norovellir, or one of its greatest hindrances.

Is that guard only going for a little stroll in the woods, or could he be hiding a darker secret?


[h2]The World
[/h2]
The world of Nested Lands itself is dying, if not dead already. The Death Plague has spread to all corners of the land, becoming a constant danger to even the more seasoned of survivors. If left unchecked, the disease will eat away at the very land, possibly erasing all progress already achieved. Treatment is possible, yes, but with such scarcity of medicine and those capable of creating it, it would be all too easy to become overwhelmed, taking players right back to square one, or worse.



All in all, survival in Nested Lands goes beyond just making sure your character’s parameters are filled out. Players will need to form a network of trustworthy allies, recover resources and treasures, and make sure they are ready for all possible threats.


Preparation is key, and there is no better place to prepare than our Discord server. In addition, remember to wishlist the game on steam, so as to stay up to date on all new information!

As the outstanding medieval world of Nested Lands unravels under our development, we're excited to share the latest news with you!

[h2]In search of unique visuals[/h2]

Pursuing visual distinction, our team is deeply engaged in crafting concept art for NPCs, breathing life into villagers, as well as challenging foes like the Mad Occultists. In our early sketches, we explore the most appropriate vision for each character. The unique personalities of each of them begin to emerge - be it the hardworking residents or the insidious heretics.



To breathe life into the devastated lands, we’ve already designed over 60 unique items. Each thoroughly crafted piece tells a tale, immersing you in the brutal atmosphere of the medieval world.

[h2]Filling in the North Plains[/h2]

The North Plains, one of the four islands of Norovellir, is developing with careful attention to detail. The map is adorned with geographical elements such as rivers and woods, and points of interest, creating a vast and dynamic landscape for exploration.

Behind the scenes, we're hard at work sculpting the narrative. Quests are taking shape, intertwined with compelling NPC storylines. Each character has their own name, origin, and purpose. Also, tutorials are in the making to guide you through the complexities of the post-plague world and seamlessly immerse you in the story of Norovellir. Get ready to uncover tales that shape the very fabric of Nested Lands!



[h2]Bringing life to gameplay[/h2]

In Nested Lands, NPCs are not mere bystanders. Witness enemies adapting to the ebb and flow of battle as they tactically retreat when defeated.

Environmental realism is enhanced, with trees and stones becoming breakable. Equip the right tools and gather essential resources like wood and rocks for your survival journey.

Piece by piece, the gloomy but unique world of Nested Lands is taking shape and is preparing to welcome you, Survivor!

Stay tuned for further news and join our Discord for more information and arts!

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first ever Nested Lands dev diary. Today, we are extremely excited to introduce our newest game!



[h2]What is Nested Lands?[/h2]

Nested Lands is a dark survival RPG with heavy village management elements, set in a fictional dark Middle Ages setting that has been almost completely destroyed by a vicious and horrifying plague. We have created an entirely new world for this game, filled with fascinating culture, lore and religion, and then destroyed it all through what is essentially a post-apocalyptic medieval game!

Amidst the carnage and chaos left in the wake of this world-wide pandemic, those few that managed to survive are now fighting amongst themselves to gather the resources needed for survival, as well as the remaining places where one could truly manage to build a home.

And then, there is you.



[h2]The Player[/h2]

In Nested Lands, you have just returned to the ancient homeland of your parents: Norovellir. There, you must survive both the plague-infested lands of your ancestors, as well as the many enemies that await you in the shadows. Wild Peasants trying to protect what’s left of their homes, Bandits seeking to profit even amidst the chaos, and Infected Savages, whose only concern is to kill anything in sight. These are only a few of the foes you’ll be dealing with, and yet, none of them compare to the truest threat to your survival: the Death Plague.



[h2]The Death Plague[/h2]

In the game, you will have to keep an eye on a series of different parameters for your character: hunger, thirst, energy, warmth, hygiene and, most important of all, Plague Level. The four islands that comprise Norovellir are littered with corpses, buildings, and even people, all of which may become infected with the plague. If you are not careful, you’ll end up dead long before ever meeting an enemy in battle.



[h2]Not that kind of Plague[/h2]

One important thing to note is that the world of Nested Lands is not a magical fantasy universe, at least not in the sense of direct magic. While exploring, you will not encounter dragons, mages, and especially not zombies. This is not that kind of plague, just as this is not that kind of world. Among the different mysteries that fill the land, it is up to the player to discover and interpret what they believe to be true, as well as the veracity of any supposed supernatural elements.


[h2]The Village[/h2]

Surviving in Nested Lands will not be easy, and, to do so, you will need help. More than that, you will need to grow and manage your very own village, recruiting trustworthy people, solving the conflicts that arise, and building all the necessary structures in order to return civilization to this god-forsaken land. Our objective here is to create a seamless integration between all aspects of the game: from the survival element, to the management system of your village, and even the combat and exploration aspects.

You must survive to grow your village, and you must grow your village to survive.

We want the villagers to be unique and important, in a way that will connect to players and make them care about these characters, not as resources to be collected for the village, but as fully developed people, with their own dreams, goals, skills and even fears and traumas.

With dozens of upgradable buildings and hundreds of objects to craft, decorate, and customize, as well as farms and animals, will you be able to tame these Nested Lands?



[h2]Our References[/h2]

Right now, we’re still in the early production phase, but the team has already delivered some incredible content in all areas of development. Our artists, programmers and designers are all hard at work to create the best game we can possibly do. And, of course, to honor those that have inspired us so much: Valheim for both exploration and combat; Medieval Dynasty for the village management system; and Darkwood for the tone and mood of the game.



And that is it for now. We’re very happy to start sharing more information on this project, and you can expect us to do so again soon! We’ll be going more in-depth on all the core features mentioned here, as well as the four islands, the enemy types we have planned, survival and management systems, the art of the game, and even the story of Nested Lands!

Until then, remember to wishlist the game on steam, join our Discord, as well as subscribing to our newsletter, so you can keep up to date with everything we share!