Project Introduction

The Darkest Files is a historical investigation and courtroom game based on true crimes of the Nazi era.

World War 2 has ended. Yet Nazis can still be found in high-ranking positions all across Germany. Hesse's Attorney General Fritz Bauer establishes a special unit of young, unencumbered public prosecutors to pursue and investigate Nazi crimes and to prosecute the perpetrators.

Play through the untold true story of the Nazi hunter attorneys of the 1950s, in an engaging storyline interweaving personal and political history, with a unique mix of first-person gameplay and beautiful comic art style.

As the young prosecutor Esther Katz, you'll seek evidence, interrogate witnesses and reconstruct crime scenes to solve cold cases from the Nazi era.

- Investigate files from the Nazi era for clues. Use your network to find witnesses.

- Interrogate witnesses and suspects, confront them with their contradictions and lies.

- Immerse yourself in the victim's stories, experience the crimes first-hand through Esther's mind's eye.

- Reconstruct the crime details step by step, propose your version of the truth to build a case.

- Charge the suspects for their crimes, have them arrested and bring them to court.

- Convince the court, reveal the truth and bring the criminals against humanity to justice.

About Developer

Indie studio PAINTBUCKET GAMES was founded in 2018 by two former AAA developers Jörg Friedrich and Sebastian St. Schulz. The studio's mission is to develop video games that leave a lasting impact and focus on strong narratives.

Our first game THROUGH THE DARKEST OF TIMES, in which you coordinate a civilian resistance group during the Nazi era, secured the studio numerous awards in 2020. Today, we are working on the sequel THE DARKEST FILES which revolves around legal reconnaissance of NS crimes in post-war Germany. In addition, we published BEHOLDER 3 and FORCED ABROAD in early 2022.

We at PAINTBUCKET GAMES are decidedly humanitarian, and the values we represent are reflected in the games we make. Our games serve as statements against racism, antisemitism, and every other form of hate and discrimination. With well researched historical and political themes, our games allow our players to respectfully engage with the past.