Review: The Darkest Files (PC)

Alright, let’s dive right in. The Darkest Files. Where do we start? Imagine putting on the shoes—scratch that, heels—of Esther Katz, this young prosecutor who’s basically going after Nazis. Post-war Germany. Heavy stuff, right? But I gotta say, it’s brilliant and a little buggy. Yeah, both.

First off, the storytelling? Raw as a wound. You’re diving into real cases, post-WWII investigations that don’t sugarcoat. No Sudoku puzzles here—just unraveling the horrors papered over by denial. The voice acting, wow. Germans doing the dubbing even in English—isn’t that cool? It makes it feel legit.

Visually, it has this graphic novel thing, with cel-shading like some political cartoon from back in the day. Blues and yellows everywhere, and man, they really nailed it. Stylish but not too loud. Totally fits the vibe.

Okay, let’s talk gameplay. It’s all about connecting dots, gathering clues, and making the bad guys pay. No loud courtroom dramas here—more like piecing documents from dusty archives. It’s slow, deliberate. Like, not ripping through a crime novel but savoring a historical tome.

Oh, the length! This game wraps up quicker than you’d think—two cases, six hours, bam! It’s over. Leaves you hanging, wanting more. DLC, anyone? I mean, I hope they let us dig into more cases down the road.

The interface? Uh, not the best. Clunky is putting it mildly. Reports and transcripts play hide and seek. There’s this bookmark system—sounds great, but, with hidden pages glitching, it’s just… ugh. Frustrating.

Regardless, The Darkest Files is doing something bold. Educates and entertains while poking at tough questions like, what’s justice in the aftermath of a war? More than 90% of games pulling that off? I don’t think so.

In short, a historical ride with comic flair and a hearty emotional punch. UI could use some love, and more cases wouldn’t hurt. But if you love deep narratives with some serious grit, you might just dig this one.