The Game UN:Me: An Psychological Thriller That Blends Silent Hill and Social Deduction Mechanics
The latest Day of the Devs online presentation revealed a number of fascinating future games, but one in particular has captured attention: UN:Me. Developed by Historia and Shueisha Games, this single-player adventure seems to fuse together the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill game with the paranoid deduction heart of Among Us.
"It's a distinctive game where a young woman containing several personalities inside her must escape from a maze of the psyche," states developer Yasukazu Kawai.
Stepping Into a Shattered Mind
In UN:Me, players assume the role of an unnamed female protagonist who appears to be of high school age. Inside her exist four distinct souls, all possessing unique anxieties and drives. These entities can take over at will, unleashing their innermost terrors upon her without warning.
Based on showcased gameplay, much of the action unfolds within a creepy hospital, though other scenes depict the protagonist exploring a abandoned church.
A World of Personal Horror
"What makes you afraid of? What causes you uncomfortable?" asks creative lead Shun Sasaki. "Heights. Small rooms. People in power. Elements that appear minor to other people can activate something primal within us. This game delves into that idea — fears that are unique to each person."
The central mechanic revolves around managing whichever soul surfaces at a particular time. However, these identities will switch involuntarily during gameplay. While exploring, each soul's anxieties become exaggerated and attack the girl one after another. As the persona changes, so does the particular terror the player encounters.
Unsettling Aesthetics and a Fatal Choice
At first glance, UN:Me displays striking visual similarities with the Silent Hill series. The setting is filled with orderlies who all share the same face, with unnervingly wide grins. Figures in the lobby have enormous flowers growing from their necks are. Flowers are a recurring theme, contrasting organic elegance with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me presents a singular mechanic. Players must determine which of the four souls haunting the heroine is the "real" one. "Each of the souls asserts that the physical form belongs to them," explains a developer. "During the game, you need to figure out who is authentic."
Once players have deduced a persona is fake, they are forced to destroy it. But, because every entity can deceive or hide the reality, it is incredibly simple to choose incorrectly.
"Perhaps you've already destroyed the real [soul] with your own hands," a voice states. "The last one remaining might be a fake. Either way, your decisions are irreversible."
UN:Me currently lacks a confirmed launch window, but it is available to wishlist on platforms.