The Darkest Files

About

The Darkest Files is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Paintbucket Games and was released on March 25, 2025. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

The Darkest Files puts you in the shoes of Esther Katz, a young prosecutor tackling cold cases involving powerful former Nazis embedded in society. Navigate challenging interrogations and moral dilemmas as you seek justice against a backdrop of denial and silence. Every choice shapes your pursuit to uncover uncomfortable truths and confront a haunted past.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 322 reviews

gameplay43 positive mentions

stability7 negative mentions

The game features a compelling narrative that explores heavy themes related to post-WW2 Germany and the prosecution of Nazi war crimes.
The art style is striking and distinctive, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
Gameplay mechanics, including evidence collection and courtroom presentations, are engaging and provide a satisfying detective experience.

The game is relatively short, with only two cases, leaving players wanting more content.
There are several bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as issues with evidence not being recognized or dialogue sequences freezing.
The conclusion system can be frustrating, as it often requires specific pieces of evidence that may not align with the player's logical deductions.

gameplay
111 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
58%
3%
The gameplay is praised for its smooth mechanics, engaging investigative elements, and a compelling narrative that intertwines real historical events with detective work. Players appreciate the thoughtful design and art style, though many express disappointment over the limited number of cases, which restricts the depth of gameplay and character development. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience for those who enjoy unraveling mysteries, despite some mechanical flaws and a desire for more content.
- “Not only is the gameplay smooth and very well-designed, but the stories covered are incredibly detailed.”
- “The gameplay loop is satisfying to those who enjoy unraveling mysteries.”
- “The gameplay consists of questioning witnesses, reconstructing what happened, and later proving your conclusions in court using the evidence you gathered.”
- “Mechanically, however, the game just feels unfinished.”
- “Great art style, music, and story, but it suffers from trial mechanics that feel restrictive and too few cases to fully develop its characters and gameplay loop.”
- “From a game design point of view, it's weird to show the player the gameplay loop (interrogating suspects, investigating old documents, going to court) and only repeat it twice before ending the game.”
story
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The game's story, centered around real postwar Nazi trials, is praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and strong character development, though many players express a desire for more content beyond the two main cases. The striking art style and immersive atmosphere enhance the narrative, making it a compelling experience for fans of investigative storytelling. While the gameplay mechanics are solid, some players feel the story's abruptness and limited scope detract from its overall impact.
- “The game has some great storytelling, satisfying moments of delivering justice and connecting the dots, unique art style, and very fitting music.”
- “A great detective game with a deeply moving and important story about fascism, culpability, and memory.”
- “The darkest files is not only an incredibly important game in terms of its story and themes, but also a truly immersive and enjoyable detective experience.”
- “It feels incomplete with just 2 cases and an epilogue that make up the entire story.”
- “The story itself feels a bit abrupt, but the price is fair for about 10 hours of thoughtful gameplay.”
- “And that's to say nothing of the epilogue that appears to be bringing a plot thread that's been hanging out in the background to the forefront, only to be like 'jk we solved and presented that off-screen.' It desperately could have used another 5-ish hours where you have to prove that case and work with the rest of the law office all together.”
graphics
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
45%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their striking and distinctive art style, which effectively complements the noir atmosphere and storytelling. Reviewers highlight the unique comic-book aesthetic, elegant visuals, and atmospheric design that enhance the overall experience, although some express a desire for more variety in environmental conditions. Overall, the game's art direction is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its immersive narrative and emotional impact.
- “The art style is striking and distinctive, perfectly matching the tone and atmosphere of the story.”
- “The graphics are elegant with a dark comic book style that works really well.”
- “Another standout element is its unique aesthetic: the cel-shaded 3D graphics, reminiscent of 1950s pulp comics and enriched with stylized comic panels, create an atmospheric yet innovative world.”
- “And finally, I would argue that even if the simple graphical style is fitting for this kind of game, I would have loved to see a little bit of diversity between different days/months... right now it rains every single day and that's really awkward.”
- “The art style helps create a somber mood but got monotonous.”
- “Aesthetically, the game leans heavily into film-noir vibes: dark blue tones dominate, with the only striking color being the red of Nazi armbands.”
emotional
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a profound emotional experience, with believable characters and impactful performances that resonate deeply, often leading players to tears. The heart-wrenching nature of the real-life cases explored adds layers of catharsis and reflection, making players feel their actions matter in the pursuit of justice. Despite some critiques regarding its length and budget, the emotional depth and historical context create a compelling and unforgettable journey.
- “Every character feels believable, and the performances add a huge amount of emotional weight to the dialogue.”
- “It's not surprising that I found it more than a little heartbreaking considering the topic, but it truly was heartbreaking in the best way.”
- “The game really brings someone to an emotional point, showing how horrible it was to bring justice to the victims.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
31%
14%
The music in the game has received high praise for its atmospheric and fitting jazz soundtrack, which complements the storytelling and enhances immersion. Reviewers noted that the music captures the film noir aesthetic and effectively reflects the game's post-WW2 setting, contributing to a gripping and engaging experience. Overall, the combination of music and voice acting is described as excellent, adding depth to the game's unique art style and narrative.
- “The music fits the setting, using contemplative jazz tunes.”
- “The music and voice acting are both excellent, perfectly capturing the atmosphere of the time.”
- “The darkest files is a detective game set in post-WW2 with cool visuals and an amazing soundtrack, where you play as a prosecutor named Esther Katz as she works cases that happened during WW2 in Mr. Bauer’s team.”
- “While I was in the court for the first case, the blueprint map basically froze even though the music was still going and I could move my mouse around.”
- “The story is gripping, and the atmosphere, especially with the music, really pulls you in.”
- “There’s plenty of cigarette smoke, jazzy music drifting from the radio, and English spoken with a German accent.”
atmosphere
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
21%
16%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its striking art style and immersive audio, effectively capturing the somber tone of late 1950s Germany and the historical context of post-WWII. Players feel a strong connection to the environment, enhanced by excellent music and voice acting, which together create a unique and engaging experience. While the gameplay may be linear, the overall atmosphere is described as gripping and authentic, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The art style is striking and distinctive, perfectly matching the tone and atmosphere of the story.”
- “This game is a master class in atmosphere and an absolute treat for everyone who enjoys investigating and putting clues together.”
- “It may not blow you away, but it pulls you into the somber atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is spot-on (both visually and audibly), it feels incredibly authentic.”
- “The art style is fantastic and reminiscent of the Return of the Obra Dinn, and the game is soaked through with atmosphere.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits some stability issues, including bugs and glitches that can affect document navigation and evidence unlocking, though these are generally not game-breaking. While players have encountered invisible documents and occasional controller-related glitches, many still find the experience enjoyable and acknowledge that the game is in its early stages, suggesting potential for improvement. Overall, the stability concerns are present but do not significantly detract from the game's overall quality.
- “With the amount of documents in the game, especially in the second case, I would've liked there to have been a less buggy way for me to flick through them all while trying to piece together my conclusions.”
- “There are still a couple of glitches but nothing game-breaking (typos, a document where I couldn't select the paragraphs but saving and reloading fixed it, and a weird one when using a controller can make you see documents you haven't found yet).”
- “Story and cases/characters were good but glitches held it back.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's optimization is generally solid, with minimal backtracking required and a focus on emotional character performances that enhance the dialogue. While the court cases primarily assess player performance, the detective work and visual presentation are highlighted as standout features, contributing to an engaging experience. The art style, reminiscent of shadow puppetry, has also received positive feedback over time.
- “I think a lot of work for this game went into creating various optional interrogation questions and differing outcomes depending on your performance.”
- “Every character feels believable, and the performances add a huge amount of emotional weight to the dialogue.”
- “So, performance is not perfect, but the most I ever had to backtrack was about 5 minutes worth of work.”
- “While the actual court cases are nothing more than evaluating your performance, the detective work and visual presentation are the true standout parts.”
- “I think a lot of work for this game did go into creating various optional interrogation questions and differing outcomes depending on your performance.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly when searching for clues and interviewing multiple characters to gather information. While this process can be frustrating, it is also seen as engaging due to the varied perspectives offered by the characters, making it a mixed experience overall.
- “The tediousness for me came with having to ask many different people the same questions in order to get all of the possible information for the trial - especially in the second case with the most amount of interviewees.”
- “It could get tedious looking for the final clue which could be a little frustrating, but it shouldn't put you off.”
- “This interview process, while somewhat tedious, remains just interesting enough as you get to find out the different spins that people have put on the events you're tasked with unwinding.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers indicate that the game's replayability is limited, as achieving 100% completion requires tedious backtracking and interaction with numerous objects, making it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.
- “The replayability isn't there as it's just a hassle to go back and try to click every possible object to 100% a case.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted to be lacking, with comparisons made to the Ace Attorney series, which is known for its comedic elements; however, this game fails to deliver any similar comedic moments.

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85%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

The Darkest Files
Noobfeed.com
85%

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The Darkest Files
€19.99
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9h Median play time

9h Average play time

6-13h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Darkest Files is a simulation game.

The Darkest Files is available on PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck and Windows.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing The Darkest Files.

The Darkest Files was released on March 25, 2025.

The Darkest Files was developed by Paintbucket Games.

The Darkest Files has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its stability.

The Darkest Files is a single player game.

Similar games include This Bed We Made, Lacuna, Paradise Killer, A Case of Distrust, Lucifer Within Us and others.

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