UN:Me: An Cerebral Thriller Merging Survival Horror with Social Deduction Mechanics
The recent Day of the Devs digital showcase revealed several intriguing future games, but one in particular has captured the imagination: UN:Me. Developed by Historia and Shueisha Games, this solo adventure seems to fuse together the oppressive atmosphere of a Silent Hill game with the paranoid deduction heart of Among Us.
"This is a unique experience where a girl containing multiple personalities within her needs to flee from a labyrinth of the mind," states producer Yasukazu Kawai.
Entering a Fractured Mind
In UN:Me, players assume the role of an unnamed female protagonist seeming to be of high school age. Inside her exist four distinct personas, all possessing their own anxieties and drives. These entities can take over at will, releasing their deep-seated terrors upon her suddenly.
Judging by showcased footage, much of the narrative takes place within a creepy hospital, while other scenes depict the protagonist exploring a abandoned church.
An Environment of Individual Dread
"What are you afraid of? What makes you uneasy?" asks game director Shun Sasaki. "High places. Small rooms. People in power. Things that appear minor to others can activate something primal within us. This game delves into that concept — anxieties that are specific to every individual."
The central gameplay loop revolves around controlling whichever soul emerges at any given time. However, these identities will switch against your will during gameplay. During exploration, every persona's fears become amplified and assault the protagonist in succession. As the persona shifts, so does the particular terror the player encounters.
Eerie Aesthetics and a Deadly Choice
At first glance, UN:Me displays noticeable visual similarities with the Silent Hill series. The setting is populated by orderlies who all share the same face, with disturbingly broad smiles. Patients in the waiting room have large flowers where their heads are. Flowers are an ever-present element, juxtaposing organic elegance with supernatural dread.
Yet, UN:Me presents a unique mechanic. Players must determine which of the four entities inhabiting the protagonist is the "real" one. "All four personas claims that the body is rightfully them," notes a developer. "Throughout the game, you must determine who is authentic."
After a player believes a persona is fake, they must eliminate it. But, since each soul can lie or hide the truth, it is very easy to make a mistake.
"Maybe you've already eliminated the real [soul] with your own hands," the narration states. "The last one remaining might be a fraud. In any case, your decisions are irreversible."
UN:Me does not yet have a confirmed release date, but it is available to wishlist on digital storefronts.
