'Onthecht' is an interactive narrative about the lives of Jewish parents Hartog and Sientje Witsenhuijsen, and their tragic fate in deathcamp Sobibór. It was developed to give a voice to the people who were almost completely erased from history.

The product of extensive family research, 'Onthecht' gives the player a look into who my great grandparents Hartog and Sientje were. It aims to honour the people who have been dehumanized and forgotten, in hopes to keep their memory alive.

Watch the trailer/demo video here

Warning: Contains shocking imagery and audio!

Artist statement

Hi, my name is Levi Loïs!
I'm a Technical Game Designer who loves to make you experience things you probably haven’t experienced before: Living with several people in your head, catching the murderer of Willem van Oranje or being painted by Johannes Vermeer while making bread porridge. I suppose helping an alien giving birth to her baby is up there as well...

I believe that the best way to experience things is through play: Games are a unique and excellent medium to tell stories previously untold, or to help someone cope with a difficult situation. By creating these interactive experiences, I try to make a positive difference in the lives of others. This makes my work fulfilling and absolutely worth it.

I focus on prototyping in-engine, gameplay/systems design and the overall flow of the game: Always keeping the big picture in mind, finding solutions to all sorts of problems and doing the best with the (often limited) resources I have.

Ambitions

In five years, I envision myself working at a company where I collaborate with a team to create educational and applied games, ideally centered around history or cultural topics.

Additionally, I would love to pursue independent projects where I can focus on creative and experimental experiences, and I hope to partner with organizations to promote awareness for issues I care deeply about.

Learned during the studies

• Be weird! Make strange stuff, and get out of your comfort zone. The best type of work is made while you´re being challenged.

• Every single person in your team can bring something unique to the table. Everyone has their own strengths, and focusing on what someone does best really makes them shine.

• Every problem has a solution! One way or another, you can always make it work.

List of publications / exhibitions / prices / concerts / shows etc.

• The Milkmaid in VR | A Virtual Reality experience where you step into the shoes of the Milkmaid from Johannes Vermeer´s iconic painting | Developed for the Rijkmuseum with ING

• De Mysteries der Lage Landen | A mystery adventure game about being a detective during the 80 years war in the Netherlands | Used by Globe College during history class

• Metanoia | A first person narrative game about DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder), made possible by the help of experts by experience | Seen by the DID community as an accurate representation of the disorder