UN:Me: A Psychological Thriller Merging Silent Hill with Social Deduction Gameplay
The latest Day of the Devs digital showcase revealed a number of intriguing future games, but one especially has seized attention: UN:Me. Created by Historia and Shueisha Games, this solo adventure seems to fuse together the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill title with the paranoid deduction heart of Among Us.
"This is a distinctive experience where a young woman harboring multiple human souls within her needs to flee from a labyrinth of the psyche," states producer Yasukazu Kawai.
Stepping Into a Shattered Mind
In UN:Me, players take control of an unnamed heroine who appears to be of high school age. Inside her exist four distinct souls, each with their own fears and drives. These souls can take over at will, unleashing their innermost terrors upon her without warning.
Based on revealed footage, much of the action takes place within a eerie medical facility, though additional clips depict the main character navigating a abandoned church.
A World of Personal Dread
"What are you afraid of? What causes you uncomfortable?" poses game director Shun Sasaki. "High places. Small rooms. People in power. Things that seem trivial to other people can trigger something primal within us. This game explores that concept — anxieties that are specific to each person."
The core gameplay loop involves managing the persona that surfaces at a particular time. However, these identities will switch involuntarily as you play. While exploring, every persona's anxieties become exaggerated and attack the girl one after another. As the persona changes, so does the particular terror the player experiences.
Unsettling Aesthetics and a Deadly Choice
Initially, UN:Me displays noticeable visual similarities with the Silent Hill series. The setting is filled with nurses who all share the identical visage, with unnervingly wide grins. Patients in the waiting room have enormous flowers where their necks are. Floral motifs are an ever-present element, contrasting natural beauty with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me introduces a singular twist. Players must determine which of the four souls inhabiting the heroine is the "true" one. "All four personas claims that the physical form is rightfully them," explains a developer. "During the game, you need to figure out who is authentic."
After a player have deduced a soul is fake, they must eliminate it. But, because each soul can lie or obfuscate the truth, it is very easy to make a mistake.
"Perhaps you've already eliminated the true [soul] with your own hands," a voice suggests. "The last one standing could be a fraud. Either way, your choices are irreversible."
UN:Me does not yet have a confirmed release date, but it is available to wishlist on platforms.