The Game UN:Me: An Psychological Horror That Blends Survival Horror with Social Deduction Mechanics
The latest Day of the Devs digital showcase revealed a number of fascinating future games, but one especially has captured attention: UN:Me. Created by Historia and Shueisha Games, this solo experience appears to blend the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill game with the suspicion-driven heart of Among Us.
"This is a distinctive game where a girl harboring multiple human souls inside her must escape from a labyrinth of the mind," explains developer Yasukazu Kawai.
Stepping Into a Shattered Consciousness
In UN:Me, players assume the role of an unnamed female protagonist seeming to be of teenage years. Within her exist four distinct personas, all possessing their own anxieties and motivations. These souls can seize control spontaneously, releasing their innermost terrors upon her suddenly.
Judging by showcased footage, much of the action takes place within a creepy medical facility, while other scenes show the main character exploring a desolate chapel.
An Environment of Personal Horror
"What are you fearful of? What makes you uncomfortable?" asks creative lead Shun Sasaki. "Heights. Confined spaces. Authority figures. Elements that seem trivial to other people can activate something primal inside us. This game explores that idea — anxieties that are unique to each person."
The core gameplay loop revolves around managing the persona that surfaces at a particular moment. However, these identities will switch involuntarily during gameplay. During exploration, every persona's anxieties become exaggerated and attack the protagonist in succession. As the persona changes, so does the particular terror the player encounters.
Unsettling Aesthetics and a Deadly Choice
At first glance, UN:Me displays noticeable aesthetic parallels with the Silent Hill franchise. The setting is populated by orderlies who all share the identical visage, with unnervingly wide smiles. Figures in the lobby have large flowers growing from their heads should be. Flowers are an ever-present element, contrasting organic elegance with supernatural dread.
Yet, UN:Me presents a singular mechanic. Players are tasked with deducing which of the four souls inhabiting the protagonist is the "true" 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 authentic."
After a player have deduced a persona is an impostor, they are forced to destroy it. However, since each soul can lie or hide the truth, it is very easy to make a mistake.
"Maybe you've already eliminated the true [soul] with your own hands," the narration suggests. "The last one remaining might be a fake. Either way, your decisions are irreversible."
UN:Me does not yet have a confirmed launch window, but it is can be wishlist on digital storefronts.
