Survival games have a way of revealing their rough edges the longer you sit with it. The first few hours are about atmosphere and tension, but eventually you start noticing the small things. Details that keep you drawn in, Green Hell and Sons of the Forest come to mind. Nested Lands has just come out of its playtest phase, and the latest update reads less like a flashy feature drop and more like a developer tightening bolts, smoothing friction, and responding to the kinds of details players only catch after braving a few long, plague-ridden nights in Norovellir. There’s a lot to see on the horizon, so, let’s start at the beginning.

Nested Lands drops players straight into a settlement-building RPG where a plague-ravaged open world is crawling with twisted madmen and bandits. Survivors start with nothing. Gamers assign roles to your peasants so they gather resources, craft gear, and raise defenses while the whole village fights hunger, disease, and constant danger. Dozens of buildings can be upgraded and hundreds of items crafted and customized, letting you turn empty land into farms, animal pens, and whatever else keeps your people breathing, but raiders are always watching from the trees. Exploration pulls in new survivors you have to protect, yet the detailed world throws harsh weather, an incoming winter, and random events at you without pause. Medicine runs out fast and the plague can erase everything quicker than any blade, so every decision decides whether your settlement rises or not.

In the latest update, developer 1M Bits Horde recently rolled out a series of fixes focused on movement, multiplayer stability, world systems, and combat behavior. Traversal feels faster and more responsive, with smoother animation transitions that reduce the heavy feel during exploration. Characters no longer pause when picking up simple items, and eating and drinking animations complete more quickly. Sleep-related clipping issues are fixed, multiplayer sessions now include a Cancel Sleep option, and the camera properly tracks updated movement speed. Problems with sensitivity text and field of view have also been addressed.

The development team has outlined an Early Access roadmap that points toward continued iteration and expansion. Planned additions include new mechanics and fresh biomes, alongside ongoing bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements shaped by player feedback. The roadmap is described as flexible and subject to change as development progresses. Future dev diaries are expected to provide deeper insight into upcoming systems and design goals. Even though the playtest has ended, the demo remains available on their Steam Page.

The game is also being adapted into a television series by Hullua. The series follows survivors as they build and defend settlements against bandits, starvation, madness, harsh natural forces, and the threat known as Baldur. It keeps the open-ended storytelling and focus on the human cost of survival. Hullua invited content creators to take part as producers or topic supervisors. The pilot episode is in pre-production with a planned premiere in late 2026.

Nested Lands is available in Early Access on Steam for $15, with a limited 10% discount available until March 4.