2024 was an absolutely incredible year for the development of Nested Lands. From design definitions to asset creation to code implementation, the game has come a very long way since we first announced it. We are beyond excited for all of you to finally get the chance to experience it during the upcoming alpha test, which is now just around the corner.
Still, even after how far we’ve come, there is a long way to go. Today, we’d like to draw back the curtains and discuss some of our plans for 2025, including both new additions to the game, as well as some other surprises.
Alpha Test
Before we start, however, we’d like to remind all players to go to our website and leave your email address to sign up for the upcoming alpha test that is right around the corner! The alpha will give you an early preview of the game and let you explore what has already been implemented.
Islands and Enemies
While the alpha version will only include the first island of North Plains, where players will be able to build and customize their very own village, we will soon begin designing and implementing the second and third islands, named Silent Forest and Dark Waters, respectively.
Moreover, each island will bring in a couple of other additions, including other enemy types. While North Plains presents only bandits and wild peasants as its threats, Silent Forest will introduce the Corrupted Priests and Rogue Soldiers, while Dark Waters will be mostly populated by Mad Occultists and Infected Savages.
Each island presents its own themes and threats, with its own local events and loot, as well as new plots and secrets to the overall lore and narrative of Nested Lands.
Quests
Speaking of narrative, our plans for 2025 also include the development of additional main and side quests, expanding the story of the game through five larger missions. Without spoiling anything, they will include:
- A hunt for the long-lost treasure of the native people of Norovellir.
- A fight for survival against enemies who wish only for your destruction.
- A search for a mysterious woman who may or may not help you in understanding your true role as a village leader.
- An exploration of all the islands in search of a true cure for the Death Plague.
- The construction of a Museum, where you can preserve the history of the old world through cultural relics and ancient artifacts.
While all quests will greatly expand the game’s narrative, the last mission will more thoroughly explain a lot of the game’s lore details. It will task players with building a museum and filling it with relics from the world’s past, before the Death Plague’s outbreak. While we won’t spoil all of them now, some will be paintings of noteworthy figures, such as King Roderik the Conqueror.
King Roderik Keylor I, the Conqueror
“Roderik Keylor I might very well be the most significant figure in known history. Originally the lord of but one modest castle and its surrounding areas, Roderik inherited a religious fervor like no other from his parents. From a young age, he had always demonstrated excellent skill at arms, just as much as a willingness to cull the weak and blasphemers.
As he slept on the night before his twentieth name day, Roderik was granted a vision by the Glorious Himself, declaring that he had been chosen to spread the Fiery Canticles of old. When he awoke, Roderik learned that his parents had perished during the night and that the castle and its lands were now his.
So began the most violent series of wars in known history. Roderik was not only a skilled swordsman, but also a tactical genius and a charismatic leader who conquered all his neighbors in quick succession before marrying into an alliance with the Duchess Arabella of Lotvaria and finally founding the true Kingdom of Sacner, which has had dozens of rulers, and yet none were greater than the first.”
The Village
Both aforementioned additions will do much to develop the game’s exploration and narrative, but we could never forget the true heart of Nested Lands: the player’s Village. And, in 2025, we still have many updates to add to it, including new traits, jobs, and appearance variations for the villagers.
While we will still leave the traits as a secret for you to discover while playing, we can note the new jobs that will be implemented this year:
- The Tavern Keeper, who will work towards improving the other villager’s morale;
- The Hunter, who will venture out into the forest in search of food;
- The Nurse, who will take care of infected villagers and prevent possible outbreaks;
- The Priest, who will care for the tired souls of the people;
- The Angler, who will seek to bring in fish to eat.
And, as we have mentioned before, these workers will interact among themselves to keep the village going without necessarily needing the player’s input to do so. That means that a Cook may require additional food, prompting Hunters, Anglers, and even Farmers to deliver him specific items, or a Nurse may request extra medicines from an Apothecary, and so on.
After all, the village does belong to the player, and while you might need to do some micromanagement in the beginning, the village will slowly become able to take care of itself, freeing you to explore, craft, and fight as you please.
All in all, the year is stacked with new planned features for the game, big and small. Adding new items, dialogues, visuals, and, of course, balancing it all out will be a challenge in itself, but the team is hard at work to deliver the best possible experience for the game. We are truly excited and cannot wait to see everyone’s reactions!
Other Surprises
Finally, we also have some other surprises planned, which we can quickly cover here. They include the aforementioned Alpha Test coming soon, as well as a new teaser trailer, the development of a game wiki for Nested Lands, and possibly a second Beta test further along in the year!
As always, if you want to be notified of all these events, remember to wishlist the game on STEAM, join our Discord server, and most importantly, sign up for the upcoming ALPHA!