Nested Lands Open Alpha Launches: A Brutal Survival City-Builder Experience

Brazilian developer 1M Bits Horde has unleashed the open alpha of Nested Lands, a brutal survival city-builder that challenges players to guide villagers through a plague-infested medieval world. Drawing inspiration from classics like Frostpunk, this gritty simulation promises an intense mix of strategy and survival.

A World of Misery and Challenge

Nested Lands plunges players into a grim medieval landscape ravaged by plague. In this unforgiving setting, bandits lurk on the roads and woodlands, and those stricken by the pestilence often descend into madness. Amid these hardships, players must build and manage a settlement, assigning villagers roles such as constructing buildings, crafting tools, and gathering essential resources. The game emphasizes the brutal reality of survival, where every decision could mean the difference between flourishing and collapse.

New Gameplay Twists

The open alpha introduces several random variables that heighten the challenge of each test chamber. In some instances, deadly neurotoxin fills a room, forcing players to solve puzzles within seconds before succumbing to its effects. In others, the very floor transforms into a dangerous lava pit, compelling players to leap between safe platforms. A particularly disorienting effect randomly blinks the chamber lights on and off, adding an extra layer of difficulty as exit portals change positions every few seconds.

Fresh Perspective on a Beloved Classic

While Portal remains a fan-favorite for its clever puzzles and memorable narrative, Nested Lands takes a similarly meticulous design approach and spices it up with unpredictable elements. This fresh take challenges even veteran players, who might otherwise have memorized the original solutions. By infusing chaos into a familiar formula, the modding community’s latest creation encourages players to experience the game anew.

Cooperative Play and Future Enhancements

One standout feature of Nested Lands is its cooperative gameplay mode, which allows up to four players to join forces and tackle the challenges together. The open alpha demo currently offers the first two chambers, providing roughly three to four hours of gameplay. Although still in its early stages, the demo hints at a wealth of future content, with developers promising to expand the variety of random effects and further refine game mechanics.

What’s Next for Nested Lands?

The current alpha is designed to test the limits of settlement expansion and autonomy, with the full version promising even more varied gameplay experiences. As players provide feedback, 1M Bits Horde aims to add numerous variables to transform the demo from a fun novelty into a core part of the survival city-builder genre. Early impressions suggest that Nested Lands could soon become a standout title for fans seeking a fresh, challenging twist on a beloved concept.

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