Student portrait Denise Hohl
Graphic designer Denise Hohl wanted more than just to design. Doing Game Design allows her to programme games that are not only meant to entertain
BY GIULIA ADAGAZZA
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Giulia Adagazza: What are your current projects?
Denise Hohl: At the last Fantasy Basel, I was able to present the prototype of my game “Welcome to Huanschi.” It’s a politically motivated game about a surveillance state. I am also developing the game “Real Guys Wear Ties” in a team of three. It turns players into selfish, power-hungry ties. The role means they can take possession of different people and control them. The focus is on having fun and discovering the game world. But behind sheer pleasure lies a criticism of the capitalist system.
Do we need games?
Yes. They’re part of our entertainment culture, like books and movies. But some games do more than just entertain. In medicine, for instance, so-called serious games can be used to simulate an operation in advance, or patients can playfully learn to walk again after an accident.