Adventure awaits in this cozy game about overcoming negative thoughts.
Nestheads just launched on Kickstarter, and it wants to help you become the best version of yourself. It’s time to pull yourself up, reframe your beliefs and take care of your mind because the only person who can save you is YOU!
Who would have thought it, your brain is just a theme park of nested feelings waiting for you to teach them a lesson.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own.
It’s a New Year New You type of game.
So right now is the best time to show your support for this upcoming cozy game.
Let’s take a deeper look at what Nestheads is all about and why I think it has nailed the cozy genre.
Besides, a positivity boost is always welcome to brighten my day…
and it’s an exclusive feature in the game.
WHAT IS THIS NESTHEADS GAME?
Nestheads is a story about YOU.. well, Will Power. Get it? You’re willpower.
The story begins when your weary Conscience finally manages to get your attention and look inward. You have to adventure through the deep recesses of your mind – your mind is the in-game map – to take back control from your dark side.
Your mind is out of control and it’s up to you to restore balance and regain control from the Mayor of dark thoughts.
He’s the bad guy but, really he’s just a part of you that needs balancing.
There is some fighting as you’ll need to banish the game’s main enemy – The Nestheads. They come in a variety of forms that represent bad feelings like anxiety and fear, so really you’re just fighting yourself.
Befriend the NPCs as they represent a deeper part of you based on the common elements of your psyche, and will give you useful items and information.
But my favorite part? Gratitude Boulders.
Yep, they are as wholesome as they sound. Each boulder is a shrine where you select prayers of gratitude in return for a gift basket.
The humor in this game is next level. I love how the devs turned beliefs into beleafs – little plants that produce loot when you nurture them. Check out their video on TikTok! It gave me a proper chuckle.
FISHING FOR YOUR DREAMS
I’ve often found fishing in games tedious and repetitive but Nestheads has put a unique spin on it that may actually convert me.
I know fishing is supposed to be a great way to disconnect and recharge but I’m happiest just enjoying the sounds of the lapping water rather than wadding knee-deep to catch some smelly fish.
Thankfully for me, games aren’t developed enough to have smells… yet, but I do hope there are some nice nature sounds in Nestheads. One game that does this extremely well is Wytchwood.
Give me some water sounds and I’ll fish for an eternity. Besides it’s dreams that we get to fish for in Nestheads. I wonder what dreams Will Power has inside their head?
THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND NESTHEADS
Nestheads is an open-world, adventure game based on psychology and wants to be the first video game designed to help you discover the meaning of life.
Too deep for a game? Well, why should it be?
Games are a form of escapism but often have a core theme running through them, a takeaway message that leaves you feeling better about yourself and hopeful about the future.
Animal Crossing wanted you to value your friendships and be kind to your neighbors.
GRIS showed you that grief can be overcome but it won’t be easy.
If Nestheads can help you be kinder to yourself by raising awareness of the power of thought, then that’s a game I want to play.
The root of what a cozy game truly is is one that embodies kindness to others and most of all yourself.
As you know, being kind to yourself is often the last thought you have after having pleased everyone else in your social circles. It’s not selfish, it’s necessary and I hope more games in the cozy niche touch on this like Nestheads in the future.
THE TEAM BEHIND NESTHEADS?
Nestheads Inc is a game studio in the making.
The original idea for this cozy game was by Dave and Brody, who met on a freelancer website.
Nestheads has an award-winning Ph.D. Cognitive Psychologist on their team who has helped them map out the game as they really want to help their players experience real-world health benefits. Along with Dr. Robin Dunbar PhD a British anthropologist and evolutionary psychologist from the University of Oxford.
Though I must add that Nestheads isn’t a substitute for a psychologist. If you feel you are having mental health problems you must still see a therapist.
WHEN DOES NESTHEADS COME OUT?
(UPDATE 7th JAN) KICKSTARTER CANCELED
Making a game is hard!
It takes time, patience and a lot of kind supporters who believe in a project as much as the development team does to make their game a reality.
I’ve backed many games before on Kickstarter and it’s a fun process because you get to see and hear everything the developers are doing to help get their game into your hands.
Sometimes it can take years. I’ve often forgotten I’ve pledged to a developer, only to receive a surprise in the mail that jogs my memory.
You receive regular updates and sometimes access to an exclusive Discord community too.
Depending on what tier you pledge at you can grab yourself some exclusive in-game and physical items that won’t be available to anyone else upon its full release.
Nestheads had originally stated that they were hoping to release the game to their backers in December 2023, which in my experience, is a very quick turnaround for a new game!
WHY WAS THE ORIGINAL NESTHEADS KICKSTARTER CANCELLED?
The team over at Nestheads decided to cancel their first Kickstarter after raising over an incredible $14,000 in just a few days!
But why? What happened?!
You can read their full explanation here.
But basically, it was brought to their attention that some of their artwork could be taken as cultural appropriation.
They wrote, “A well-intentioned individual brought to our attention that using a dreamcatcher as a fishing lure in the game was offensive.”
“While this was a challenging experience, we are grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow.”
It seems it most certainly wasn’t their intent to offend anyone, and they hastily removed the artwork.
NESTHEADS GAME IS BACK
Exciting news!
Nestheads is gearing up to relaunch its Kickstarter campaign for the second time.
The team behind the fantastic game that promotes restoring balance within your mind has gone back to the drawing board, made some tweaks, and is all set to go live on April 19th.
With renewed enthusiasm and a clear vision, they’re confident that they will successfully fund the final development of the game.
Get ready to support this incredible project and experience the magic of Nestheads!
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