UN:Me: A Cerebral Thriller Merging Silent Hill with 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. Created by Historia and Shueisha Games, this single-player adventure appears to fuse together the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill game with the suspicion-driven heart of Among Us.
"It's a distinctive game where a girl containing multiple personalities inside her needs to flee from a labyrinth of the mind," explains developer Yasukazu Kawai.
Entering a Shattered Mind
In UN:Me, players assume the role of an unnamed female protagonist seeming to be of teenage years. Within her reside four distinct souls, each with unique anxieties and drives. These entities can seize control at will, unleashing their deep-seated phobias upon her without warning.
Based on revealed gameplay, much of the narrative takes place within a creepy medical facility, while additional clips show the main character exploring a desolate chapel.
A World of Personal Dread
"What are you fearful of? What causes you uncomfortable?" asks creative lead Shun Sasaki. "Heights. Confined spaces. Authority figures. Elements that seem trivial to other people can activate a deep instinct within us. This game explores that idea — anxieties that are specific to each person."
The core mechanic revolves around managing whichever soul surfaces at any given time. However, these souls will change involuntarily during gameplay. While exploring, each soul's fears become exaggerated and attack the protagonist one after another. As the persona shifts, so does the particular terror the player experiences.
Unsettling Visuals and a Deadly Decision
Initially, UN:Me displays noticeable aesthetic parallels with the Silent Hill franchise. The hospital is populated by orderlies all sporting the same face, with disturbingly broad smiles. Patients in the waiting room have large flowers where their heads are. Flowers are an ever-present theme, juxtaposing organic elegance with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me introduces a unique twist. Players must determine which of the four souls haunting the heroine is the "real" one. "All four personas claims that the physical form belongs to them," notes a creator. "Throughout the game, you need to figure out who is real."
After a player believes a persona is an impostor, they must eliminate it. But, because each soul can lie or hide the reality, it is very easy to make a mistake.
"Maybe you've already destroyed the true [soul] by your own actions," the narration suggests. "The last one standing might be a fraud. Either way, your choices are final."
UN:Me does not yet have a confirmed release date, but it is can be wishlist on platforms.
