The Darkest Files gets March release date

Ahh post-War Nazis resurfacing and acting like it is normal life, but that’s enough about me trying to trigger people that call others snowflakes, let’s talk The Darkest Files. Set in post-War Germany, the Nazis walk proud and free in an-alt history where Germany didn’t basically say, “That’s our biggest mistake in history, we’ll drill this into our people like a bent screw going into a concrete wall.” I’ve been keeping an eye on The Darkest Files for a while now, and finally, Paintbucket Games has announced a release date for the upcoming court-investigation puzzle game with a stunning art style.

Describing The Darkest Files in the press release, it notes: “The Darkest Files is a historical investigation and court game. As the young, aspiring prosecutor Esther Katz, the players investigate unsolved crimes from the Nazi era based on true events. To do this, they interview witnesses, look for clues[,] and ultimately bring the perpetrators to court, where they must prove their theory of what happened. On her exciting and emotional journey in post-war Germany of the 1950s, the protagonist Esther Katz joins the team of the famous historical figure Fritz Bauer, who actually investigated such cases as Attorney General in Frankfurt at the time.“

This isn’t the first time Paintbucket Games will be taking on the era and highlighting what we all thought was common knowledge, Nazis were the bad people. The studio previously developed the political strategy/simulator Through the Darkest of Times, and The Darkest Files is noted as a spiritual successor to it in the press release. They are also known for working on Alawar’s Beholder 3.

Jörg Friedrich of Paintbucket Games said, “Above all, with The Darkest Files we want to make a gripping investigation and court game based on real cases that [captivate] gamers with its open deduction mechanics, its captivating story and its beautiful cell-shaded graphics in the style of pulp comics of the 1950s.” I will admit that the art style is the first thing that stands out. Friedrich also mentioned wanting to tell the story of German-Jewish judge and prosecutor Fritz Bauer, who is described as instrumental in the capture (and the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials) of Holocaust planner Adolf Eichmann.

On Bauer, Friedrich said, “But we also want to tell the story of Fritz Bauer, who, with his team of courageous prosecutors, against massive resistance fought for justice after the war. This story has become frighteningly relevant again today, at a time when the rule of law and democratic institutions are under unprecedented pressure. We hope that we succeed in both, because it is through the stories that grab and carry us along, that we are inspired to take action ourselves.“

A touch darker in material than Phoenix Wright; there is certainly that comparison to draw from a distance. As previously mentioned, the art style is where I think The Darkest Files stands out the most when you initially see or hear about it, reminding me how badly we all fumbled XIII‘s initial release and not letting those more unique styles spread throughout gaming.

I’m excited to finally get to play The Darkest Files after it has been on my wishlist for a year, give or take a couple of days by the time of release. Set to release on Steam on March 25th for PC and Mac, you can also check out the demo currently available on Steam as well. I’ve checked throughout the press release and elsewhere, but there is no mention of a planned console release for The Darkest Files yet. If there is one to be made, it will probably be post-launch.