UN:Me: A Psychological Thriller Merging Silent Hill and Among Us Mechanics
The recent Day of the Devs online presentation revealed several intriguing upcoming titles, but one in particular has seized the imagination: UN:Me. Developed by Historia and Shueisha Games, this single-player experience appears to fuse together the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill title with the paranoid deduction core of Among Us.
"It's a unique game where a young woman containing several human souls within her must escape from a maze of the mind," states producer Yasukazu Kawai.
Entering a Fractured Mind
In UN:Me, players take control of an unnamed heroine who appears to be of high school age. Inside her exist four distinct souls, each with unique anxieties and drives. These entities can seize control at will, unleashing their innermost terrors upon her without warning.
Judging by showcased footage, much of the action takes place within a creepy hospital, though other scenes depict the protagonist exploring a desolate chapel.
An Environment of Personal Horror
"What are you afraid of? What causes you uncomfortable?" asks game director Shun Sasaki. "High places. Small rooms. People in power. Elements that seem trivial to others can trigger a deep instinct within us. This game delves into that concept — anxieties that are unique to each person."
The core gameplay loop involves controlling the persona that emerges at any given moment. However, these souls will change involuntarily as you play. While exploring, each soul's anxieties become amplified and assault the girl one after another. As the persona shifts, so does the particular terror the player encounters.
Unsettling Visuals and a Deadly Choice
At first glance, UN:Me displays noticeable aesthetic parallels with the Silent Hill franchise. The hospital is populated by orderlies all sporting the same face, with unnervingly wide grins. Patients in the waiting room have enormous blooms where their necks are. Flowers are a recurring theme, contrasting organic elegance with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me introduces a unique twist. Players must determine which of the four souls inhabiting the protagonist is the "real" one. "Each of the souls asserts that the physical form is rightfully them," explains a creator. "During the game, you need to figure out who is real."
Once players have deduced a soul is fake, they are forced to destroy it. However, since each soul can deceive or hide the truth, it is very easy to choose incorrectly.
"Perhaps you've already eliminated the true [soul] by your own actions," a voice states. "The last one standing might be a fraud. In any case, your choices are final."
UN:Me does not yet have a publicly announced release date, but it is available to follow on digital storefronts.
