Review: The Darkest Files (PC)

Alright, so here I am, attempting to unravel “The Darkest Files.” Ever thought about post-war Germany? Me neither, but here we dive, headfirst. You’re in the shoes of Esther Katz—imagine that—but not just any shoes, more like heels. (Why heels in post-war Germany? No idea, but it stuck with me.) So anyway, the gig’s all about bringing actual Nazis to justice. Heavy stuff.

The storytelling? Easily the game’s meat and potatoes. Imagine a raw, unblinking peek into post-WWII chaos—it’s not a puzzle for kicks, it’s like piecing together real horrors. The voice acting? They nailed it. Used German actors—even in the English dub—to keep it real. Somehow, it feels respectful and credible. Weirdly so.

And, okay, let’s talk about the look. The game’s got that graphic novel vibe—cel-shaded flair, comic panels—kinda like flipping through a noir cartoon. Blues and yellows everywhere, like an old political cartoon, I guess. Might sound odd, but it just works. Not in-your-face flashy but does justice to the theme.

Gameplay… Huh. It’s like investigative drama school: find evidence, chat with survivors, piece it together, and slap that prosecution down. If you’re dreaming of courtroom dramas where you’re screaming “Objection!” well, think again. It’s more like, “Hey, here’s a document, and it matches this testimony”—whatever floats your boat, right?

Now, brace for a curveball—length. Two cases, barely six hours of gameplay. It’s like opening a book and finding only two chapters. Leaves you craving more, like an unfinished sentence. Fingers crossed for future DLCs to dig deeper.

Interface—is what it is. Feels a bit like scrambling through a desk drawer—clunky, reports and transcripts hiding from plain sight. There’s a bookmark system to help but, nope, still ends up more frustrating than useful.

Despite quirks and hidden pages that make you wanna throw your keyboard out the window (figuratively), you can’t deny its rarity. Engaging, educational, and you’re not just playing—you’re thinking. Forces you to grapple with history and justice—way more than the average run ‘n gun ever will.

It’s gripping and messy in a perfectly imperfect way. If real, complex stories are your jam, give it a whirl. It’s worth those quirky UI struggles for a peek into, possibly, would-be justice, the game style. Because, seriously, how many games actually manage that without pulling punches?

Based on what I’ve experienced, “The Darkest Files” scores majorly on storytelling and visuals. Gameplay? Solid, if you don’t mind sifting through the occasional glitch. It’s like a historical drama meets comic book mash-up in-game form—and if that sounds intriguing, it totally is.