The Game UN:Me: An Cerebral Horror Merging Silent Hill and Social Deduction Gameplay
The latest Day of the Devs online presentation revealed a number of fascinating future games, but one especially has seized the imagination: UN:Me. Developed by Historia and Shueisha Games, this solo experience appears to blend the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill title with the paranoid deduction heart of Among Us.
"It's a distinctive experience where a young woman containing multiple personalities inside her needs to flee from a labyrinth of the mind," explains developer Yasukazu Kawai.
Entering a Shattered Consciousness
In UN:Me, players assume the role of an unnamed heroine seeming to be of teenage years. Inside her reside four separate souls, each with their own fears and drives. These souls can take over at will, releasing their innermost terrors upon her without warning.
Judging by showcased gameplay, much of the action takes place within a eerie medical facility, while other scenes depict the protagonist exploring a desolate church.
A World of Personal Dread
"What are you fearful of? What causes you uncomfortable?" asks creative lead Shun Sasaki. "High places. Confined spaces. Authority figures. Things that appear minor to other people can trigger something primal inside us. This game delves into that idea — fears that are unique to every individual."
The core gameplay loop revolves around controlling whichever soul emerges at a particular time. However, these identities will change against your will during gameplay. During exploration, every persona's anxieties become exaggerated and assault the girl one after another. As the persona shifts, so does the specific fear the player experiences.
Unsettling Aesthetics and a Deadly Decision
At first glance, UN:Me displays noticeable aesthetic parallels with the Silent Hill series. The hospital is populated by nurses all sporting the same face, with unnervingly wide grins. Figures in the waiting room have enormous flowers where their heads are. Flowers are an ever-present theme, contrasting natural beauty with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me introduces a unique twist. Players are tasked with deducing which of the four entities haunting the heroine is the "real" one. "All four souls claims that the physical form belongs to them," explains a creator. "Throughout the game, you need to figure out who is authentic."
After a player have deduced a persona is fake, they must eliminate it. However, because each soul can deceive or obfuscate the truth, it is incredibly simple to choose incorrectly.
"Perhaps you've already eliminated the real [soul] by your own actions," a voice states. "The last one standing could be a fake. In any case, your decisions are irreversible."
UN:Me currently lacks a confirmed launch window, but it is available to wishlist on digital storefronts.
