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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

@darkestfiles.paintbucket.de

380 followers 43 following 150 posts

The Darkest Files is a historical investigation and courtroom game based on true crimes during the Nazi era. Investigate cold cases and win them at court. Release 25 March 2025 https://store.steampowered.com/app/2058730/The_Darkest_Files/

store.steampowered.com

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Mar 25

The Darkest Files is OUT NOW on Steam! 🔎
After 4 years of development, our historical investigation game about Fritz Bauer's quest for justice in 1950s Germany is finally available.
Uncover the truth. Confront the past. Serve justice.
Buy and play today:

store.steampowered.com/app/2058730/...

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · 8d

Hey there,
The Darkest Files is an escapist, power fantasy in which you can bring fascists to court and send them to jail.
It tells a tale from the rule of law age, which your grandparents might still remember.
It is also 20% off right now on Steam — so get yourself a copy now!

The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Mar 25

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · 16d

that's bad of course - we left the demo up since the game is so special and for many the demo even in this state works to see if this is a game for them.
Thank you for your feedback, we added a disclaimer to the demo now, that it is old and contains bugs that are fixed in the main game.

The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · 16d

hey, we released the demo 1st time 2023. The game released 2025 and has been updated a lot since then.
We are aware the demo has many bugs but the versions are so different by now that an update would mean to remake the entire demo.
Feel free to use Steam's 2 hour return policy if unsure.

The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · 29d

The Darkest Files - as seen on CNN
edition.cnn.com/2025/09/08/e...

Nazi investigation and prosecution video game ‘The Darkest Files’ | CNN

The historical investigation and court room game features stories based on crimes committed by Nazis during WWII. Rick Damigella reports.

edition.cnn.com

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Reposted by The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

PaintBucket made The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @paintbucket.de · Sep 5

Our friend just launched his wonderful historical pixel art adventure Casebook 1899: The Leipzig Murders.
If you are into historical crime solving - and something tells me us that you are 🕵️ - go and get it now! 🔥

Casebook 1899 - The Leipzig Murders 📯 OUT NOW @homonarransstudio.bsky.social · Aug 7

📯📯📯ANNOUNCEMENT📯📯📯
Casebook 1899: The Leipzig Murders
🗓️ Launching Sep 4th 2025

🔍 Search clues and quiz suspects
🔀 Draw your own conclusions
🔪 Choices affect multiple endings
⛪️ Explore late 19thC pixel-art Leipzig
🇩🇪 Authentic German voicing

Wishlist on Steam!
👉👉 s.team/a/1841190

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Aug 25

press AT paintbucket.de

Paintbucket Games

The berlin based indie studio PAINTBUCKET GAMES was founded in 2018 by the two former AAA developers Jörg Friedrich and Sebastian St. Schulz.

paintbucket.de

The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Aug 20

We won! 🥳 Thank you so much for recognizing our efforts to make The Darkest Files accessible to more players. We believe everyone should get the chance to play the games they want and we are grateful for all the feedback we got along the way 🧡

#GamingOhneGrenzen

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Reposted by The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

Nick Calandra @nickjcal.bsky.social · Aug 19

Was super cool seeing our trailer for @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de up during the Gamescom showcase!

Great moment and recognition for @paintbucket.de!

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Aug 19

We‘re so proud to share that we were part of this special Gamescom moment: Opening Night Live!

Thank you for including us and other games that are more than entertainment and that have the potential to inspire change.

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Aug 15

If you are reading this, thank you! We want to invite you to a cozy community meetup. 🧡 Join us at our booth on Thursday at 2 pm and grab some special merch - we’re excited to meet you!

📍 Hall 10.2: Play games about past and current politics, democracy, its challenges, and its importance

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Reposted by The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

Fritz Bauer Institut @fritzbauerinstitut.bsky.social · Aug 1

#OTD
Am 1. August 1944 erhob sich die polnische Heimatarmee in #Warschau – inmitten des von Nazi-Deutschland besetzten Polens – zu einem verzweifelten #Aufstand. Rund 200.000 Menschen starben – vor allem durch systematische Massenmorde an Zivilisten durch die deutschen Besatzer.

#NieWieder

Denkmal zum Warschauer Aufstand in Warschau, Polen. Die monumentale Bronzeplastik zeigt polnische Widerstandskämpfer der Heimatarmee in dramatischer Pose beim Verlassen einer zerstörten Mauer und beim Hinabsteigen in die Kanalisation – ein Hinweis auf ihre Fluchtwege während des Aufstands 1944. Das Denkmal steht auf einem offenen Platz vor dem Museum des Warschauer Aufstands. (Bild: Wikimedia Commons)

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Jul 27

😊

Reposted by The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

Amanda @ The Indie Game Cafe @theindiegamecafe.bsky.social · Jul 27

Holy heck I just played the demo for The Darkest Files @paintbucket.de and Y’ALL that converted me into a purchase so damn fast and it’s easily one of the best games I’ve played this year

store.steampowered.com/app/2251070/...

The Darkest Files Demo on Steam

The Darkest Files is a historical investigation and courtroom game based on true crimes during the Second World War. Investigate cold cases, search for clues, interrogate witnesses, immerse yourself i...

store.steampowered.com

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Reposted by The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

Totally Not Aliens @totallynotaliens.bsky.social · Jul 24

We're happy to announce that, from today, All Quiet in the Trenches will be available as part of the Games That Remember Steam bundle, alongside the amazing game The Darkest Files by @paintbucket.de

store.steampowered.com/bundle/55560...

Save 11% on Games That Remember on Steam

store.steampowered.com

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Reposted by The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Jul 25

We're part of Games Forged in Germany! 🥳 Check out all these amazing games by fellow German devs 🧡 Which game are you playing next?

➡️ store.steampowered.com/sale/Games-F...

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Jul 25

We're part of Games Forged in Germany! 🥳 Check out all these amazing games by fellow German devs 🧡 Which game are you playing next?

➡️ store.steampowered.com/sale/Games-F...

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Reposted by The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

Janna Krone @jannakrone.bsky.social · Jul 22

Ich habe neulich mit @domschott.bsky.social über "The Darkest Files" gesprochen, das Spiel, bei dem wir mit der Kraft der Juristerei Nazis vor Gericht bringen, und wir hatten viel Spaß dabei. Sowohl mit dem Spiel als auch mit dem Podcast.
www.gamespodcast.de/2025/07/22/t...

The Darkest Files | The Pod

www.gamespodcast.de

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Jul 21

Thank you for your kind words! 🧡✊

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Reposted by The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

泣鬼虫A R T🌻🎸 @nakimushiart.bsky.social · Jul 20

Finished my Geekset review of the historical, post-WWII true crime Courtroom game "The Darkest Files" discovered at #Gamescom2024! ✨

More important than ever. A huge shoutout to @paintbucket.de @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de!

#YasePlays #review #indiegame #indiegames
@geeksetpodcast.bsky.social

Yase Plays: The Darkest Files

Hey guys! A little something different today. With the current state of the world and recent happenings, this game ended being especially important to me and something I wanted to shine a big spotligh...

www.geeksetpodcast.com

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Jul 17

hey there fellow investigators, it's patch time again! 🔎🕵️‍♀️
This is a small update that fixes a couple of bugs. Something bigger is in the making, read the end of the note for more info on what we are cooking.

See you in court! 👨‍⚖️

store.steampowered.com/news/app/205...

The Darkest Files - Version 1.0.8 - Steam News

Hey dear prosecutors, It is patch time again! This is a relatively small update that fixes a couple of minor issues and a couple of spelling errors. Something bigger is in the making, read the end of ...

store.steampowered.com

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Jul 16

Happy Birthday Mr Bauer! 🎂

a stylized image of general attorney Fritz Bauer smoking

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Reposted by The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️

Jacob Birken @jbirken.bsky.social · Jul 2

Endlich die aktuelle @cargoverlag.bsky.social im Briefkasten! ☺️ Hab was über @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de geschrieben und wie Ian Bogosts olles Konzept von prozeduralem Erzählen hier tatsächlich gut trifft, wo ein solches Gerichtsdrama ja schon vom Genre her eben ein 'Procedural' ist

Das Magazin Cargo liegt aufgeschlagen auf einer Holzoberfläche. Zu sehen ist der Artikel "Nachträgliche Aufklärung" zum Game "The Darkest Files"

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Jul 1

Ohh, I played The Last Exam during the jury process and loved the handpainted artstyle! Great to hear you will be there ☺️ -Hanna

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The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Jul 1

See you in August then! :D

The Darkest Files 🕵️‍♀️ @darkestfiles.paintbucket.de · Jul 1

Yes! We'll bring some Stickers, Bookmarks, Bags, and more