About me! (The TL;DR)
I'm a game designer who specializes in systems, mechanics, and game balance. That's not so much a specialization as an inability to pick a lane, but I find it very hard to choose one of those three without inevitably doing the other two. I've been making oddball indie games since 2020 in a variety of roles from art to production before humbly landing myself in design (this was not planned!)
Why game design? Before coming to game development, I worked in research. Specifically, I worked in molecular biology research while attending school and pursued my Master's in Bioinformatics and Plant Biotechnology at Universiteit Gent in Belgium. I find my experience in research, experimental design, and data analysis uniquely tailored towards solving complex design problems. I get the most satisfaction when I'm able to utilize math and a deep understanding of player psychology to deliver targeted, nuanced emotional experiences. I also feel the most challenged when asked to design mechanics and systems for real-life experiences that don't translate to games in an obvious way.
Hyper Bimbo Beats, 2023
Hyper Bimbo Beats was a mobile rhythm game released on Apple and Android play stores. The game featured fruit-ninja like swiping, allowing the player to use feminine hyperpop power to transform toxic men into catboys.
While the demo was initially in the top 5 mobile rhythm game apps for several months on release, the team ultimately decided not to develop it further and eventually removed it. Presently, there is no downloadable APK for you to try it, but as soon as it is available, I will update this post.
HBB was developed by a team of five over the course of just seven weeks and won the Indie Game Academy's Pitch Night competition in 2023.
Rental, 2024
Rental is a horror puzzle game with massive Y2K nostalgia. The player experiences work through the eyes of Jasmine, a new hire at a video rental store. They must read tape descriptions and place them in the correct store sections to advance. The game primarily features pixel art, but also includes uncanny cardboard cut-outs of characters from a small indie-film group whose videos are featured in-game.
Rental was developed by a team of five under my direction over the course of eight weeks.
Strange New Tides, 2025
Strange New Tides is a cozy game inspired by the Animal Crossing series developed over the course of a weekend for Ludum Dare 56 by a team of 40 developers, with varying levels of development experience.
The project ended far short of the projected scope, but more details about the design can be found here.
Nine Levitzki | Game Design