UN:Me: A Psychological Horror Merging Silent Hill with Social Deduction Gameplay
The recent Day of the Devs online presentation revealed a number of fascinating future games, but one especially has captured the imagination: UN:Me. Created by Historia and Shueisha Games, this single-player adventure seems to fuse together the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill game with the suspicion-driven core of Among Us.
"It's a unique experience where a young woman containing multiple human souls inside her must escape from a labyrinth of the psyche," explains developer 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, each with their own anxieties and motivations. These entities can seize control at will, unleashing their deep-seated terrors upon her suddenly.
Judging by revealed gameplay, much of the narrative takes place within a eerie hospital, though other scenes depict the protagonist navigating a abandoned church.
An Environment of Individual Dread
"What are you fearful of? What causes you uneasy?" asks creative lead Shun Sasaki. "Heights. Confined spaces. Authority figures. Elements that seem trivial to other people can trigger a deep instinct within us. This game explores that concept — fears that are unique to each person."
The core mechanic involves managing whichever soul emerges at a particular moment. However, these souls will change involuntarily as you play. During exploration, every persona's anxieties become exaggerated and attack the protagonist in succession. As the persona changes, so does the particular terror the player experiences.
Unsettling Visuals and a Fatal Decision
Initially, UN:Me displays striking visual similarities with the Silent Hill series. The hospital is filled with nurses who all share the same face, with unnervingly wide grins. Patients in the waiting room have enormous flowers where their heads are. Flowers are an ever-present element, juxtaposing organic elegance with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me introduces a unique mechanic. Players must determine which of the four souls haunting the heroine is the "true" one. "All four souls claims that the physical form is rightfully them," explains a creator. "Throughout the game, you need to figure out who is authentic."
Once players believes a persona is an impostor, they are forced to destroy it. However, since each soul can deceive or obfuscate the truth, it is very easy to make a mistake.
"Perhaps you've already destroyed the real [soul] by your own actions," the narration suggests. "The last one standing could be a fake. In any case, your choices are irreversible."
UN:Me does not yet have a confirmed launch window, but it is can be follow on digital storefronts.