The Game UN:Me: A Psychological Horror Merging Silent Hill with Social Deduction Mechanics
The recent Day of the Devs digital showcase unveiled a number of intriguing future games, but one in particular has captured the imagination: UN:Me. Created by Historia and Shueisha Games, this solo adventure appears to fuse together the oppressive atmosphere of a Silent Hill game with the suspicion-driven heart of Among Us.
"It's a distinctive game where a young woman harboring several human souls inside her must escape from a labyrinth of the mind," explains producer Yasukazu Kawai.
Entering a Shattered Consciousness
In UN:Me, players take control of an unnamed female protagonist seeming to be of high school age. Within her exist four distinct souls, all possessing unique fears and motivations. These souls can take over at will, unleashing their innermost phobias upon her suddenly.
Judging by revealed footage, much of the narrative unfolds within a creepy hospital, though other scenes depict the protagonist exploring a desolate church.
A World of Individual Horror
"What makes you afraid of? What makes you uneasy?" poses creative lead Shun Sasaki. "Heights. Confined spaces. Authority figures. Elements that seem trivial to others can trigger something primal within us. This game delves into that idea — anxieties that are unique to each person."
The central mechanic involves managing whichever soul emerges at a particular moment. However, these identities will switch involuntarily as you play. While exploring, each soul's anxieties become amplified and attack the protagonist one after another. As the persona changes, so does the particular terror the player encounters.
Unsettling Aesthetics and a Deadly Choice
Initially, UN:Me shares noticeable visual similarities with the Silent Hill series. The setting is filled with orderlies all sporting the identical visage, with unnervingly wide grins. Figures in the lobby have large flowers where their necks should be. Flowers are a recurring element, contrasting organic elegance with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me introduces a unique twist. Players are tasked with deducing which of the four entities inhabiting the heroine is the "true" one. "Each of the personas claims that the physical form is rightfully them," notes a developer. "Throughout the game, you need to figure out who is real."
After a player have deduced a soul is an impostor, they must eliminate it. But, because every entity can lie or hide the truth, it is incredibly simple to make a mistake.
"Perhaps you've already destroyed the true [soul] by your own actions," a voice suggests. "The final entity remaining might be a fake. Either way, your choices are irreversible."
UN:Me does not yet have a confirmed launch window, but it is can be follow on digital storefronts.
