Bendy and the Ink Machine

 Switch
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 32
  3. Negative: 9 out of 32
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  1. GlassCannon
    Feb 16, 2019
    5
    I didn't know what to expect going into Bendy and the Ink Machine. Unlike a lot of games, I was able to keep myself free of spoilers until I actually got to play the game, which took me around six and a half hours to complete. The game starts out extremely strong; the first two chapters are pure gold, and the first part of Chapter 3 is definitely my high point of the entire game. TheI didn't know what to expect going into Bendy and the Ink Machine. Unlike a lot of games, I was able to keep myself free of spoilers until I actually got to play the game, which took me around six and a half hours to complete. The game starts out extremely strong; the first two chapters are pure gold, and the first part of Chapter 3 is definitely my high point of the entire game. The problem is how inconsistent the game's flow becomes. After the tone of Chapter 3 is set and you get into the collect-a-thon portions of the game, it takes a dramatic nosedive in quality. Everything grinds to a halt, causing the high tension I felt in the first half of the game to be completely drained. Chapters 4 and 5 feel more like a boss rush as the game throws away storytelling to put you into these fight sequences that range from insultingly easy to painfully difficult. Characters are introduced with no backstory and no true purpose other than to help you escape the cutscene they're first shown in. There isn't even a climax present; the ending is incredibly quick and it just pushes you into the final cutscene with no sense of resolution. The final cutscene is meant to make you want to play the game again, but after the last three chapters failed to do the first half justice, I really wasn't persuaded to do so.

    It may sound like I want to give the game a negative review, but I don't think that I can. Bendy and the Ink Machine left me with incredibly mixed emotions. There are so many great elements in the first half of the game. There's even good side content with the inclusion of the cassette tapes. The problem is that the game quickly becomes inconsistent in its execution. There are moments in the second half that would have scared the living daylights out of me if the game had kept the stellar pacing of the first half. Consistency is the key word going forward for Joey Drew Studios. Bendy and the Ink Machine gives you all of its best ideas in the first half and leaves you wanting more as it becomes more and more tedious. Admittedly though, I would love a sequel to this game if it's able to spread its good ideas throughout the entire story.    … Expand
  2. Blundell92
    Nov 24, 2019
    6
    I didn't expect to enjoy this game as much as I did. Really interesting art style, voice acting is pretty decent, genuinely creepy in moments. Not much into horror games but I think this one's pretty good. But I think I would recommend borrowing over buying if it's an option available to you.
  3. FreedomFighters
    Jun 13, 2019
    7
    It's no secret that I'm not one that's all that into horror stuff. Long story short, I'm kind of a pansy. But when it comes to today's horror video games, it can be hard to get into them: yes, the "Resident Evil" series has made a triumphant return to the horror roots of before, but outside of that, many of the modern horror games that see release are uninspired, jump scare-filled titlesIt's no secret that I'm not one that's all that into horror stuff. Long story short, I'm kind of a pansy. But when it comes to today's horror video games, it can be hard to get into them: yes, the "Resident Evil" series has made a triumphant return to the horror roots of before, but outside of that, many of the modern horror games that see release are uninspired, jump scare-filled titles that only serve the purpose of giving YouTubers fodder to earn some clout. But admittedly, "Bendy and the Ink Machine" was one horror title that stopped me in my tracks: an indie darling since the first chapter of the game saw release in 2017, I was admittedly pretty fascinated when I learned that the game was set to see a release on consoles. And after spending some quality time in the game's world, I definitely walked away fascinated.
    "Bendy and the Ink Machine" is engaging from the get-go: stylistically, I love how the game's art style is so dark and brooding, while also invoking nostalgia and Disney vibes. The visuals are foreboding and fantastic, and lend themselves well to the game's story. Said story is one that sucks you right in: I fell in love with quite a few of the characters, and I think it's so remarkable that the writers took a story about revenge and abandonment and twisted it in such a great way with such a unique setting like an animation studio. And what's more, the game itself is legitimately terrifying: yes, there are some jump scares at points, but what really makes it work is that the atmosphere is so tensing, and the horror elements serve to make you think, instead of just waiting for the next jump scare to happen. It's an unpredictable adventure, and the gameplay can often back that up. It's smooth, fun to get into, and has several very interesting puzzle sections. It's also rather nice that the game is generous with its save points as well, because you're going to really need them.
    Unfortunately, the gameplay is the only thing that's really holding it back, as there are a few general, mechanical issues with it: for starters, the combat in the game is awkward and difficult to handle, and it can often be a pain to attack enemies because of the clunky hit detection. This gets dialed up to eleven in the game's final chapter as the combat is more emphasized, to the point where fighting can be needlessly difficult. Furthermore, the game throws some bits of fake difficulty your way, as the enemy AI is often unfair and painstaking to deal with, feeling less like a genuine challenge and more like a chore. And last but not least, the game can tend to slow to a halt in some of the final chapters when it starts throwing in slightly long fetch quests and bits of backtracking, so while the story never loses your interest, the gameplay might.
    Needless to say, and while my score may not indicate that this is a top-tier game for me (though I still wonder how a 7 out of 10 is not "good" on Metacritic's scale), "Bendy and the Ink Machine" is one of the most fascinating games that I've ever played, and while it's certainly flawed in a few areas, it's still a gripping horror title that's definitely worth playing through at least once. I can totally see why it's got such a passionate community behind it, and I know the experience will certainly stick with me. It won't rank as one of the best games I've ever played, but I'll absolutely give it props for how memorable and engaging it was from start to terrifying finish.
    Final rating: 7 out of 10 "Good"    … Expand
  4. Shadowgracer
    Jan 17, 2019
    7
    Bendy & the Ink Machine performs very well in a difficult field: frightening the user. The artwork is lovable and the game's main remarkable thing but it doesn´t stop there. It has a fluid gameplay, a well-balanced difficulty and it cares about these little details that other indie games don't consider.

    Some current horror games can't scare you at all because are predictable and boring    Bendy & the Ink Machine performs very well in a difficult field: frightening the user. The artwork is lovable and the game's main remarkable thing but it doesn´t stop there. It has a fluid gameplay, a well-balanced difficulty and it cares about these little details that other indie games don't consider.

    Some current horror games can't scare you at all because are predictable and boring so is great when you discover one of them that do the thing. It also performs specially well in Switch, as almost every indie game.

    Don't miss the opportunity to give it a try cause it will make you have a good time.    … Expand
  5. Mindkiller7522
    Dec 10, 2021
    7
    The atmosphere, art style, and direction were all top notch and not at all what I was expecting! Significantly scarier than I expected knowing nothing going in, but very well done.

    However, the controls and hit detection were pretty rough. There were some easy sections that I had to repeat multiple times because you have to aim at just the right spot-below the thing you are trying to    The atmosphere, art style, and direction were all top notch and not at all what I was expecting! Significantly scarier than I expected knowing nothing going in, but very well done.

    However, the controls and hit detection were pretty rough. There were some easy sections that I had to repeat multiple times because you have to aim at just the right spot-below the thing you are trying to hit.

    And the movement is incredibly slow and frustrating. The boss battles where you have to dodge are the worst, but even trying to move around while exploring is difficult.

    There's also a few sequences that are clearly stretched out to pad out the game's runtime. It's not that common, but you'll notice it when it happens and you find yourself backtracking to find another set of items for a specific task.

    Still a worthwhile game, though! The positives outweigh the negatives.    … Expand
  6. Bleeding_Jester
    Nov 11, 2021
    7
    i honestly didnt think i would like this game because it got big on YouTube at a time where i spent 90 percent of the time i was awake on YouTube and it never looked appealing to me i didnt really enjoy the art style and the gameplay looked like a walking simulator to me and while i am usually willing to give games i don't like watching on YouTube a chance with the thought of maybe i needi honestly didnt think i would like this game because it got big on YouTube at a time where i spent 90 percent of the time i was awake on YouTube and it never looked appealing to me i didnt really enjoy the art style and the gameplay looked like a walking simulator to me and while i am usually willing to give games i don't like watching on YouTube a chance with the thought of maybe i need to play it first this but game reminded me of a different game that i detested even more after playing it so i wasn't exactly expecting much

    but i was wrong the gameplay is basically just a walking sim and the graphics while it grew on me while i was playing was fine but the thing that made me love this game was the lore and atmosphere that permeates most of the game as you play the stuff i personally don't really get from just watching someone else play the game i would definitley say this is a game that you need to play to enjoy for me personally at least

    and while looking into lore i found a video about the controversies the company that made the game while i wont go into detail about them it was an interesting video and i would recommend you search for that video on YouTube if you want to know more about the company mind you this didn't affect the review i just thought it was interesting and i know some people like to be informed about the people behind a product before they by said product if you want to watch the video look for Chris Portals video on the Bendy controversy    … Expand
  7. Online_NPC
    Oct 2, 2021
    7
    The style, story, and sound are amazing, but the game suffers on the Switch. I feel like I had constant framerate issues and hit-registration issues with enemies. The story is compelling and the general creepy atmosphere of the game really draws you in. This game could be an 8 or a 9, but it didn't seem very well optimized on the Switch. It may be a better experience on PC

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. Switch Player
    Dec 27, 2018
    50
    Bendy and the Ink Machine is a decent environmental puzzle title. Sadly, though, it just doesn't work as a survival horror. There are more effective examples already available on the Switch, and you'd do well to check those out first.
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  2. Nintendo Insider
    Dec 27, 2018
    60
    Bendy and the Ink Machine is a very intriguing game. It has an incredible visual style that is unique and certainly has some good horror elements going for it, but it, unfortunately, lets itself down in other areas. Straightforward puzzles, unwanted fetch quests and a clunky combat system really hurt the enjoyment in a big way.
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  3. The Digital Fix
    Dec 4, 2018
    70
    Gorgeous presentation and some genuinely creepy moments just about manage to outweigh the conventional, and mildly dated gameplay.
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