The recent Day of the Devs digital showcase revealed a number of intriguing future games, but one in particular has captured the imagination: UN:Me. Developed by Historia and Shueisha Games, this solo adventure appears to blend the dread-filled setting of a Silent Hill game with the suspicion-driven heart of Among Us.
"It's a unique game where a girl harboring multiple personalities inside her must escape from a labyrinth of the mind," states developer Yasukazu Kawai.
Entering a Fractured Mind
In UN:Me, players assume the role of an unnamed heroine seeming to be of high school age. Within her exist four distinct souls, each with unique fears and drives. These entities can take over at will, releasing their innermost terrors upon her without warning.
Judging by showcased footage, much of the narrative unfolds within a creepy hospital, though other scenes show the main character exploring a abandoned chapel.
An Environment of Personal Horror
"What makes you afraid of? What causes you uncomfortable?" asks game director Shun Sasaki. "High places. Confined spaces. Authority figures. Things that seem trivial to other people can activate something primal within us. This game delves into that idea — fears that are unique to each person."
The central gameplay loop revolves around controlling the persona that emerges at any given moment. However, these identities will change against your will as you play. While exploring, every persona's fears become exaggerated and assault the girl one after another. When the soul changes, so does the particular terror the player encounters.
Eerie Visuals and a Deadly Decision
At first glance, UN:Me shares noticeable aesthetic parallels with the Silent Hill series. The setting is filled with orderlies all sporting the same face, with unnervingly wide grins. Patients in the waiting room have enormous flowers where their heads should be. Flowers are an ever-present element, contrasting organic elegance with unnatural horror.
Yet, UN:Me presents a unique twist. Players must determine which of the four entities haunting the protagonist is the "true" one. "Each of the souls claims that the body belongs to them," explains a developer. "Throughout the game, you must determine who is real."
Once players have deduced a soul is an impostor, they are forced to destroy it. However, since each soul can deceive or obfuscate the reality, it is incredibly simple to make a mistake.
"Maybe you've already destroyed the true [soul] by your own actions," the narration suggests. "The final entity remaining might be a fake. In any case, your choices are final."
UN:Me does not yet have a publicly announced release date, but it is can be follow on digital storefronts.
