Hello, survivors!
I'm Alexandre Kikuchi, head of 1M Bits Horde, and today, I want to take you behind the scenes of our upcoming title, Nested Lands — a unique survival crafting and village-building game set in a world devastated by the Black Plague.
Our vision for Nested Lands is to create an experience that blends sandbox exploration, deep crafting mechanics, and an evolving world full of mysteries. If you enjoy games where you gather resources, uncover hidden recipes, build your own village, and choose your own journey at your own pace, then Nested Lands is for you.
Inspiration & Core Gameplay
We draw inspiration from many incredible titles, including State of Decay, Valheim, and Medieval Dynasty. From Assassin’s Creed, we borrowed the thrill of exploration and reclaiming lost territories. We wanted to capture the best aspects of survival, strategic building, and storytelling, ensuring players feel fully immersed in this dark, plague-ridden world.
The game has been in development for over a year and a half, and I’ve been part of the process from the very beginning, writing and shaping the core gameplay. Today, we have a small but passionate team of developers from diverse backgrounds, all bringing their unique perspectives to the project. Our goal is to craft a game that feels authentic, engaging, and rewarding to play.
A World Shaped by the Plague
One of the most exciting aspects of Nested Lands is its grounded setting —there are no fantasy monsters or zombies. Instead, the true horror comes from the dark side of humanity. We wanted to explore a world where the plague never truly ended, forcing communities to adapt and survive. How would people change? How would societies evolve? These are the questions that shaped our worldbuilding and narrative design.
Building a Game We Love to Play
Personally, I love survival games where every decision matters. That’s why Nested Lands emphasizes player choice and adaptability. You can build, explore, craft, and survive in your own way. Developing a game is different from playing it, but when we see our ideas come to life and feel that "this is fun" moment, we know we're on the right track.
The Open Alpha & Player Feedback
With our Open Alpha, we now have the chance to see players interact with the world we’ve built. Watching reactions, reading feedback, and analyzing gameplay helps us refine the experience. It’s incredibly motivating to see a community forming around the game, especially as players come from different genres and backgrounds.
Structured Storytelling & Sandbox Freedom
One of the key questions we get is whether Nested Lands follows a structured story or if it’s a fully randomized sandbox experience. The answer is both. The game has a predefined story with key characters, antagonists, and major events, but it also features randomized events and scripted encounters to keep things fresh and dynamic. Players who love open-ended exploration will find freedom, while those who prefer a more guided experience can follow quests and main storylines.
Additionally, we want players to keep playing beyond the main narrative. Even after completing the story, you can continue building and evolving your village, adapting to the ever-changing world around you.
Character Progression & Skills
We’ve designed Nested Lands to avoid traditional RPG-style class systems. Instead of selecting a fixed warrior, archer, or thief role, players develop skills organically through actions. Want to improve your woodcutting? Just start chopping trees. The more you perform a task, the more skilled you become, similar to Valheim’s passive progression system. This approach keeps progression immersive and natural.
Survival, Co-op, and Village Management
Survival is at the heart of Nested Lands, but we’re balancing it with co-op multiplayer and in-depth village building. Whether playing solo or with friends, you’ll need to recruit and manage villagers, fend off raids, and keep your settlement thriving.
The game’s co-op mode will allow up to four players to explore, build, and fight together. Player progress will carry across different worlds, allowing flexibility for those who want to switch between solo and multiplayer sessions.
What’s Next?
Nested Lands is more than just survival — it’s about building a community, exploring untold stories, and facing the realities of a world shaped by disease and conflict. We hope players will enjoy crafting their own settlements, navigating stealth-based combat, and uncovering the deep mysteries of this world.
The journey is just beginning, and we’re excited to keep building Nested Lands alongside all of you. Stay tuned for more updates!
Join the Community – Let’s Shape Nested Lands Together!
Game development is an ongoing process, and Nested Lands is evolving with the help of our community. As we fine-tune gameplay mechanics, expand survival elements, and polish the overall experience, your feedback plays a crucial role.
Join our official Discord server, where you can:
- Chat directly with the developers – share your thoughts, ask questions, and get insights into the game’s development.
- Discuss strategies, game mechanics, and upcoming features with fellow players.
- Share screenshots of your journey through plague-ridden lands.
- Provide feedback that directly helps shape the game’s future.
We’re always listening, so whether you want to ask questions, suggest improvements, or just chat with the community — we’d love to hear from you!