If Valheim and Conan Exiles are any indication, gamers love a challenging survival game set in the distant past. That’s why many of us have had our eye on Nested Lands since it was first revealed back in 2023. This survival-settlement RPG takes place during the notorious Black Death, giving players an extra deadly obstacle to work around. And at long last, 1M Bits Horde and META Publishing have revealed the Early Access release date for Nested Lands.
A few lucky players are experiencing Nested Lands right now during the game’s latest playtest. But for the rest of us, Nested Lands will launch into Early Access via Steam on February 25th. That’s great news for the over 9,000 people and counting who have already wishlisted the game on Steam (yes, including me). And before you worry that it’ll be abandoned before it’s finished, the developers have already released a detailed roadmap showing off what will be added to the game throughout Early Access. Here’s what we know about Nested Lands so far.
Nested Lands Tests Players to Survive the Black Plague
Image courtesy of 1M Bits Horde and META Publishing
Nested Lands will have all of its planned core mechanics in place when it hits Early Access this month. In fact, refining those mechanics is part of why the game is launching just about a month later than originally planned. That extra time in the oven means players will be able to enjoy both solo and co-op survival gameplay in a medieval settlement threatened by the deadly Black Plague.
The developers estimate that it’ll be in Early Access for about 6 months, and they’ve released a packed roadmap full of future content slated to release during that time. But before we dig into what’s coming, here’s a quick look at what you can expect from Nested Lands when it releases on February 25th.
Play video
As you can see, Nested Lands isn’t afraid to lean into the humor and horror of medieval life during the Black Death. It will feature all the settlement-building survival goodness the genre requires, with crafting, skill trees, and social management mechanics. And of course, combat with plague-addled foes will also be in the mix.
Nested Lands will challenge players to recruit peasants to help build up their settlement. You’ll be able to craft your new world in solo gameplay or team up with friends in co-op mode. Either way, you will need to keep your village stocked with medicine, supplies, and villagers to keep everything running smoothly. The choices you make will impact your reputation and the future of your newly founded civilization.
Image courtesy of 1M Bits Horde and META Publishing
Though all the key elements will be in place at launch, Nested Lands will get a series of major content updates during Early Access. The current Early Access roadmap outlines 5 major updates, with Animal Husbandry and Fishing headed our way. There will also be a Main Story update to add a new Biome and an Expeditions Update bringing in a brand-new feature. And of course, quality-of-life fixes will come along the way in response to player feedback.
From the looks of it, Nested Lands is going to be a smash hit for fans of gritty survival games that don’t shy away from a little horror and gore. So if you enjoyed games like Icarus, Valheim, and Enshrouded, this will be one to keep on your radar. Nested Lands releases in Early Access for PC via Steam on February 25th.
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