The Darkest Files
Genres: Puzzle, Mystery, Atmospheric, Adventure
Release Date: 25-3-2025
Developer: Paintbucket Games
Our verdict
8/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 5–10 h
The Darkest Files is a first-person investigation game from Paintbucket Games, set in West Germany in 1956. You play Esther Katz, a young prosecutor in Fritz Bauer's unit, building two cases based on real Nazi-era crimes. You read files, question witnesses, replay their accounts through a mind's eye view that may show lies, and then argue the charges in court. It suits solo detective fans who are ready for heavy subject matter.
Players rate it Very Positive, with about 95 percent of 485 reviews in favour. Reviewers praise the comic-panel 1950s art style, the sense of genuinely investigating, and how much the real cases stay with you. One compares it to Ace Attorney with the jokes replaced by history. Adjustable difficulty goes down well; players who chose the hardest setting call it fair.
The main complaint is the courtroom. One detailed review found that when several documents prove the same point, the game accepts only the one it wants, and others mention obscure clues and reloading to get them. A few found some accents and the messaging heavy-handed. Still a strong pick for Obra Dinn-style deduction fans; perfectionists may get annoyed in court.
Pros
- Two cases based on real postwar Nazi prosecutions
- Mind's eye replays show testimonies that may be distorted or false
- Adjustable difficulty; hardest setting still felt fair to players
Cons
- Court scenes accept only one document when several prove the point
- Some clues are obscure enough that players reloaded to find them
- A few reviewers found accents and messaging heavy-handed
About
Justice requires courage. The courage to uncover truths that no one wants to see. The courage to confront former murderers who now wear suits and command respect. The courage to be threatened, ostracised or worse. And the courage to look into the darkness and be changed forever.
You are Esther Katz, a young prosecutor who has just joined Fritz Bauer's new special unit. Your task seems impossible: to investigate crimes committed years ago, where evidence has been destroyed, witnesses silenced and the perpetrators embedded in the highest ranks of society. Every decision matters. Every interrogation can bring you closer to the perpetrator or lead you astray. Silence is your worst enemy. Time is working against you. And German society is not ready to face its past.
In 1956, Fritz Bauer and his team of “Nazi hunters” demanded justice when everyone else demanded silence. A small team of prosecutors defying an entire nation. Criminals hiding in plain sight as respected citizens. Experience their dangerous struggle through the immersive investigations. Uncover truths a country has fought to keep buried. Challenge a society desperate to rewrite its own past.
Investigate two extensive cases based on true Nazi-era crimes
Interrogate witnesses and suspects, break through walls of silence and expose lies
Witness different versions of events through Esther's "mind's eye" as you perceive testimonies - which may be truthful, distorted, or deliberately false
Reconstruct events step by step from fragmented evidence and testimonies
Prosecute perpetrators in court with the right charges, where your investigative thoroughness will be put to the test
Shape the outcome with multiple endings - succeed in bringing justice or face the harsh reality of a perpetrator walking free
Explore Esther's story, her past and her relationships with family, colleagues and the iconic Fritz Bauer
Immerse yourself in stunning cell-shaded 3D graphics inspired by 1950s pulp comics, complete with comic panels that reflect the era
Listen to full English voice acting bringing every character to life
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