UN:Me: A Cerebral Thriller Merging Silent Hill and Among Us Gameplay
The latest Day of the Devs online presentation revealed several intriguing future games, but one especially has captured the imagination: UN:Me. Created by Historia and Shueisha Games, this solo experience appears to fuse together the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill title with the paranoid deduction heart of Among Us.
"It's a unique game where a girl harboring multiple personalities within her needs to flee from a labyrinth of the psyche," states developer Yasukazu Kawai.
Entering a Shattered Consciousness
In UN:Me, players take control of an unnamed heroine seeming to be of high school age. Within her exist four distinct souls, each with unique anxieties and motivations. These entities can take over at will, releasing their innermost phobias upon her without warning.
Judging by showcased gameplay, much of the narrative takes place within a creepy hospital, though other scenes show the protagonist navigating a abandoned chapel.
An Environment of Individual Horror
"What makes you fearful of? What causes you uncomfortable?" asks creative lead Shun Sasaki. "High places. Small rooms. People in power. Elements that appear minor to other people can trigger a deep instinct within us. This game explores that concept — anxieties that are specific to each person."
The central mechanic revolves around controlling whichever soul surfaces at any given time. However, these identities will change against your will as you play. While exploring, each soul's fears become exaggerated and assault the girl one after another. When the soul changes, so does the particular terror the player encounters.
Eerie Aesthetics and a Deadly Choice
At first glance, UN:Me displays striking visual similarities with the Silent Hill franchise. The hospital is populated by nurses who all share the same face, with unnervingly wide grins. Patients in the lobby have large flowers growing from their necks are. Floral motifs are an ever-present element, juxtaposing natural beauty with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me introduces a singular mechanic. Players must determine which of the four souls haunting the heroine is the "true" one. "Each of the souls asserts that the body is rightfully them," notes a creator. "During the game, you must determine who is authentic."
After a player believes a persona is an impostor, they are forced to destroy it. But, because every entity can lie or hide the reality, it is incredibly simple to choose incorrectly.
"Maybe you've already destroyed the true [soul] with your own hands," the narration states. "The final entity standing might be a fraud. In any case, your decisions are irreversible."
UN:Me currently lacks a confirmed release date, but it is available to follow on digital storefronts.
