The Darkest Files
A game about responsibility, justice and the struggle to come to terms with the past
As public prosecutor Esther Katz, you investigate real Nazi crimes in post-war Germany and bring perpetrators to justice who long believed themselves to be safe. Multi-award-winning and a commercial success: The Darkest Files proves that games with a serious message can thrill players.
About the game
The Second World War is over, but the perpetrators continue to live undisturbed. Under the leadership of Hesse’s Attorney General Fritz Bauer, you set out to solve forgotten crimes: you inspect files, interview witnesses, reconstruct the course of events and bring charges. Yet the judiciary and administration are still filled with former Nazis who will do anything to sabotage the investigations.
The game is based on real, historically documented cases. The letters, files and statements are fictional, but based on actual events and people. This creates an emotionally intense experience that combines historical facts with gripping gameplay mechanics.
Gameplay
The Darkest Files is a narrative investigation game. Players actively take on the role of the prosecutor and make decisions that influence the outcome of the trials:
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Search files: Take on cases of forgotten crimes from the Nazi era
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Interrogate witnesses: Conduct interrogations and spot contradictions in statements
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Reconstruct the course of events: Evaluate evidence and draw conclusions
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Bring charges: Weigh up criminal offences and bring suspects to trial
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Secure a verdict: Uncover the truth in court
The outcome is not predetermined: depending on your in-game decisions, convictions are just as possible as acquittals. The game confronts you with the consequences of your own investigative work.
Education & Use
The Darkest Files is a fully-fledged, multi-award-winning and critically acclaimed commercial computer game that has already won over tens of thousands of players worldwide with its appealing graphics and captivating gameplay (Metacritic: 80%, ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ on Steam). At the same time, it tells an important story about the attempt to punish the crimes of the Holocaust through the rule of law.
It is these qualities that make it particularly well-suited for educational use.
Learning objectives
Players actively engage with key questions:
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Crime and responsibility: When is someone guilty? What does ‘following orders’ mean?
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Rule of law: How does legal accountability work? Why is it important?
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Culture of remembrance: Why is coming to terms with Nazi injustices still relevant today?
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Critical evaluation of sources: How do you assess contradictory statements? What can be proven?
The game promotes historical judgement, the ability to see things from different perspectives and moral reflection through active experience and decision-making.
Areas of application
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History (Secondary Levels I/II): The Nazi era, post-war Germany, coming to terms with the past
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Ethics / Religion: Questions of guilt, moral dilemmas, dealing with historical trauma
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German: Language analysis, narrative perspectives, rhetorical devices in interrogations
- Social Studies / Politics: Jurisprudence, democratic institutions, the rule of law
Target audience
Age rating: 12+. Recommended from Year 8/9 (pupils aged approx. 14 and over), suitable for individual and group work as well as for whole-class play sessions with group discussion.
Teaching materials
Extensive supporting materials are available for teachers:
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Lesson plans for a complete teaching unit (7 double lessons)
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Case files to be completed during gameplay
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Reconstruction boards to visualise the sequence of events
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PowerPoint slides for facilitation
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Reflection questions for whole-class discussions
The materials were developed in collaboration with the Centre for Didactic Computer Game Research and the Digital Game Culture Foundation, and tested as part of the ‘Shaping Schools with Games NRW’ project.
Accessibility & Game Modes
The game offers various customisation options:
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Story Mode: Focus on narrative, less investigative effort
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Investigation Mode: Independently finding and linking information (recommended for lessons)
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One-Hand Control: The game can be played entirely with just one hand
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No Time Pressure: Time-sensitive elements can be disabled
- Further customisations: Font size, highlighting of interactive objects, autoplay for dialogues, subtitles
Auszeichnungen & Presse
All in all, “The Darkest Files” is an outstanding game from Germany that impresses not only with its important subject matter but also with its successful execution.
When I finished The Darkest Files, I felt as though I’d just watched a documentary that I hadn’t realised I absolutely had to see. I felt angry, sad and hopeful all at once, because the game’s real message is how important it is to tell the truth, especially when nobody wants to hear it.