The Game UN:Me: A Cerebral Thriller Merging Survival Horror and Social Deduction Mechanics
The latest Day of the Devs online presentation unveiled a number of fascinating future games, but one especially has captured the imagination: UN:Me. Created by Historia and Shueisha Games, this single-player experience appears to fuse together the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill game with the suspicion-driven core of Among Us.
"It's a distinctive game where a girl containing multiple human souls inside her needs to flee from a labyrinth of the psyche," explains producer Yasukazu Kawai.
Stepping Into a Shattered Mind
In UN:Me, players assume the role of an unnamed heroine who appears to be of high school age. Within her exist four distinct personas, all possessing unique anxieties and drives. These entities can seize control spontaneously, unleashing their innermost terrors upon her without warning.
Based on revealed footage, much of the action takes place within a creepy hospital, though additional clips depict the main character exploring a abandoned church.
An Environment of Individual Horror
"What are you afraid of? What causes you uncomfortable?" asks creative lead Shun Sasaki. "Heights. Confined spaces. People in power. Elements that seem trivial to others can trigger something primal inside us. This game delves into that concept ā fears that are unique to each person."
The central gameplay loop revolves around controlling the persona that surfaces at any given moment. However, these souls will switch involuntarily as you play. While exploring, each soul's anxieties become exaggerated and assault the girl in succession. When the soul changes, so does the particular terror the player encounters.
Unsettling Visuals and a Deadly Decision
Initially, UN:Me shares noticeable aesthetic parallels with the Silent Hill series. The setting is populated by orderlies all sporting the same face, with unnervingly wide smiles. Patients in the lobby have enormous blooms where their heads should be. Floral motifs are a recurring element, contrasting natural beauty with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me introduces a singular mechanic. Players are tasked with deducing which of the four entities haunting the heroine is the "true" one. "All four souls asserts that the physical form belongs to them," notes a developer. "During the game, you must determine who is authentic."
Once players have deduced a soul is an impostor, they must eliminate it. However, because every entity can lie or obfuscate the reality, it is very easy to make a mistake.
"Maybe you've already eliminated the real [soul] with your own hands," the narration states. "The final entity remaining could be a fraud. Either way, your choices are irreversible."
UN:Me does not yet have a publicly announced release date, but it is available to wishlist on digital storefronts.
