The Game UN:Me: An Cerebral Thriller That Blends Survival Horror with Social Deduction Mechanics
The recent Day of the Devs online presentation revealed several intriguing future games, but one in particular has seized the imagination: UN:Me. Created by Historia and Shueisha Games, this solo experience appears to blend the oppressive atmosphere of a Silent Hill game with the suspicion-driven core of Among Us.
"This is a unique game where a young woman harboring multiple human souls within her needs to flee from a maze of the psyche," explains producer Yasukazu Kawai.
Entering a Fractured Consciousness
In UN:Me, players take control of an unnamed female protagonist who appears to be of high school age. Inside her exist four separate souls, all possessing unique fears and motivations. These entities can take over at will, releasing their deep-seated phobias upon her without warning.
Based on revealed footage, much of the action takes place within a creepy medical facility, while other scenes show the protagonist navigating a abandoned chapel.
A World of Personal Horror
"What are you afraid of? What makes you uneasy?" poses game director Shun Sasaki. "Heights. Confined spaces. People in power. Elements that appear minor to other people can activate something primal within us. This game delves into that concept — anxieties that are specific to each person."
The core gameplay loop revolves around controlling the persona that emerges at a particular moment. However, these souls will switch involuntarily as you play. During exploration, every persona's anxieties become amplified and assault the girl one after another. When the soul changes, so does the specific fear the player encounters.
Unsettling Visuals and a Fatal Decision
At first glance, UN:Me shares noticeable aesthetic parallels with the Silent Hill franchise. The hospital is populated by orderlies who all share the same face, with disturbingly broad grins. Figures in the lobby have enormous flowers growing from their heads are. Floral motifs are an ever-present theme, juxtaposing natural beauty with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me presents a unique mechanic. Players must determine which of the four souls haunting the protagonist is the "real" one. "Each of the souls asserts that the physical form is rightfully them," notes a developer. "Throughout the game, you need to figure out who is real."
After a player believes a soul is an impostor, they must eliminate it. However, since each soul 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," a voice suggests. "The last one remaining could be a fake. Either way, your choices are final."
UN:Me currently lacks a confirmed launch window, but it is can be wishlist on digital storefronts.
