|| REVIEW || Bendy and the Ink Machine (PC)
Bendy is one of the extreme few instances in where I've managed to fall in love with a game before actually getting my hands on it. Another prime example of this, for me personally at least, was Cuphead and both of these games it was for basically the same reason. I absolutely loved the art style and the appearance of these games. And I was certain that once I got my hands on these games, the love would continue. Eventually, Cuphead graced it's way into my library and my feelings remained the same...but can the same be true of Bendy as well?
Developed & Published by : Joey Drew Studios (Kindly Beast)
As for being scared though? I personally wouldn't put that stamp on it, but it could just be that "scary" in the sense of gaming holds a different meaning for me. For me that means throwing the controller in terror when something happens, refusing to continue down a certain path or dealing with a certain enemy. And while I was weary and on edge while playing, I enjoyed that feeling.
This studio did an absolutely amazing job of using such an old animation style and making it as eerie as possible. It's proof that you don't need the latest and greatest in graphic capabilities to create one of my favorite, creepy settings in a game.
Bendy and the Ink Machine
Developed & Published by : Joey Drew Studios (Kindly Beast)
Category : Horror, Puzzle, First-Person
Release Date(s) : February 10, 2017 (Chapter One)
October 26, 2018 (Chapter Five)
October 27, 2018 (Complete Edition)
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Bendy begins with you assuming the role of Henry Stein, in the year 1966. You've been called upon by your former boss via a letter asking you to return to your old animation studio, Joey Drew Studios. It's been a while since you had been at the studio, three decades to be exact, and you instantly notice the changes that have been made. Showing yourself around, you notice the expansion to the studio and, most specifically, a big ink machine in a back room. After listening to some taped messages that have been left behind, you realize the machine requires a handful of items to be specifically placed in order for the machine to be turned on. So, naturally, you go retrieve and place those items and your reward? Being attacked by a demon that appears to be made of ink and resembles the studios' mascot, Bendy.
Waking up in the lower levels of the studio, Henry decides to look for a way out. Instead he finds himself trapped in a demonic scenario that he could never have imagined. Ink creatures galore scour the hallways, some even looking like twisted versions of the studio's animated creations. Before he can get out though, he'll have to go a lot deeper into the depths under the studios than he imagined.
The story itself for Bendy and the Ink Machine is broken up episodically over five different chapters. Overall, I loved the pacing of it. The game's first chapter is misleading with how short it is time-wise, but that is also dependent on how much exploring you may or may not do. But, it serves as your introduction to the world and it's story so it's a perfect set-up which then pours into the rest of the experience through the following four chapters.
Solve, Swing, and Sneak
Bendy plays in the first-person perspective, and it most definitely presents itself as a horror game. The the ink and the things it's consumed tend to stalk you around the studio is absolutely supposed to put you on edge. For me, knowing that had me on edge before anything remotely spooky even happened. The moment I stepped into Joey Drew Studios I was weary with every corner I went around.
Along with being spooked though, your time in the studio is going to be mostly spent solving it's puzzles. Each chapter features a number of these and for the most part, they felt to be of the variety that the solution was easy to determine but executing that solution was where issues might arise. You'll have some instances of combat, fighting off the ink blob Searchers that will pop up from the floor, as well as more serious fights with the more predominant characters. But, to counter the combat you'll have moments where you'll need to rely on stealth techniques to get what you need.
The puzzles in Bendy were highly enjoyable for me. I struggled at a few points, missing key items that were either difficult to see in the environment, or I was just a victim of my own blindness (I also was streaming while playing so keeping up with chat was a factor as well). But even with those struggles, I had no complaints about the puzzles as a whole. They were simple yet complex in the right ways.
However it's the latter two areas that felt to be a bit overdone at points. Without spoiling exactly who you fight, there are a number of boss fight scenarios you'll encounter on your playthrough. Some of these are fun, but other's feel like an impossible task. For one, Henry can only swing his weapon so fast, and needs a full second or two before being able to swing again. Which honestly goes unnoticed for the majority of the game. Inevitably though, you'll end up in a situation where this fact becomes equally apparent and frustrating. As for the stealth mechanics...I have very specific complaint about those that I will talk about shortly along with my other gripes with the game.
Unsettling, Yes...But Scary?
During my playthrough, I can't even count the times that I just felt flat out uncomfortable. I became weary of peeking around corners, if an area looked too dark I was hoping I could avoid it. There was even a completely innocent moment in the game that I was absolutely untrusting of because every detail I noticed about it screamed that it was just a set-up for a jump scare attempt.As for being scared though? I personally wouldn't put that stamp on it, but it could just be that "scary" in the sense of gaming holds a different meaning for me. For me that means throwing the controller in terror when something happens, refusing to continue down a certain path or dealing with a certain enemy. And while I was weary and on edge while playing, I enjoyed that feeling.
This studio did an absolutely amazing job of using such an old animation style and making it as eerie as possible. It's proof that you don't need the latest and greatest in graphic capabilities to create one of my favorite, creepy settings in a game.
Drop the Terror, Add Annoynace
As much as I absolutely love Bendy and the Ink Machine, I did have a short list of things that....could have been better. I already mentioned before my gripe with the attack animation in combat. Frustrating as that was though, it wasn't my biggest issue with the game. My biggest was some of the boss...encounters. I say encounters because there's not always an option to fight.
These instances of dealing with certain bosses can tend to go from terror-inducing, right to boring and annoying in an instant. Now, I won't reveal which ones in particular since not all larger enemies you deal with in this scenario will suffer from this. But, there will be times when you'll be tasked with locating a number of items within a specific area. Also in this area, there will either be a larger character patrolling the area, or at least the threat of one appearing if you disturb things enough to draw them out.
During these times the game sets the tone of needing to be secretive. "We can't let him/her know we're here", and when you see these people you need to avoid it helps the feeling of terror. However...encountering one these baddies quickly turns more humorous since you can easily outrun them. The first time this happened to me I was antsy as all hell, and then after I had looped through the area almost a full lap I realized that...it wasn't really all that terrible if I wasn't even getting touched. Add on top of this that throughout these levels, there are Miracle Station's which serve as hiding places for you (think along the lines of hiding in a locker from the killer in a round of Dead by Daylight). You can enter these stations directly in front of one of your enemies and they'll just scratch their heads, look around, and walk away.
My other issue was a very small, and very specific one. In one scene of the game, you'll be powering a paddlewheel boat up a small body of ink-water, and you'll have to deal with two obstacles. One is a gigantic hand looming behind you in the water, stalking you like Jaws and gaining on you during your second obstacle : the paddlewheel keeps clogging up with the ink and you need to stop, turn around, whack at the ink blobs to free up the wheel, all before turning back around to manually power the boat again. This is a moment that could have also been truly terrifying because if you got caught by the hand you were forced all the way back to the start. However, it gets too repetitive and becomes more tasking than frightening. This instance of clearing the wheel of ink pops up at least five times, if not a couple more. Twice, even three times would have been perfect in the scenario but it suffered in the end for how often it occurred.
Played on : Steam (PC)
During these times the game sets the tone of needing to be secretive. "We can't let him/her know we're here", and when you see these people you need to avoid it helps the feeling of terror. However...encountering one these baddies quickly turns more humorous since you can easily outrun them. The first time this happened to me I was antsy as all hell, and then after I had looped through the area almost a full lap I realized that...it wasn't really all that terrible if I wasn't even getting touched. Add on top of this that throughout these levels, there are Miracle Station's which serve as hiding places for you (think along the lines of hiding in a locker from the killer in a round of Dead by Daylight). You can enter these stations directly in front of one of your enemies and they'll just scratch their heads, look around, and walk away.
My other issue was a very small, and very specific one. In one scene of the game, you'll be powering a paddlewheel boat up a small body of ink-water, and you'll have to deal with two obstacles. One is a gigantic hand looming behind you in the water, stalking you like Jaws and gaining on you during your second obstacle : the paddlewheel keeps clogging up with the ink and you need to stop, turn around, whack at the ink blobs to free up the wheel, all before turning back around to manually power the boat again. This is a moment that could have also been truly terrifying because if you got caught by the hand you were forced all the way back to the start. However, it gets too repetitive and becomes more tasking than frightening. This instance of clearing the wheel of ink pops up at least five times, if not a couple more. Twice, even three times would have been perfect in the scenario but it suffered in the end for how often it occurred.
In The End...
It may seem due to above that I had massive, horrible issues with this game. That can't be further from the truth. Those listed above were very minor infractions on the game as a whole, they just so happened to be something that I was able to expand on very specifically.
Bendy and the Ink Machine was an amazing experience, one that I absolutely would love to go through again. Especially since the game inflates your urgency to replay by dangling a new item in your face that's available on what can only be considered a New Game+. Even without that carrot though, the music, the art style, and the experience as a whole was honestly one of the greatest I've experienced.
Overall, I would have to say my favorite element was the story. It's something that has been done before in a sense, as far as characters from a movie/tv show coming to "real life". But the way it was done with this experience was so incredible. I only wish I could go into more detail on it but then I wouldn't stop typing until the whole game was spoiled right here before you.
The complete edition of the game, which comes with all five episodes goes for $19.99 when it's not on sale, and it's available on all platforms including mobile! If you're still unsure about it, Steam offers a demo of the game which equates to the entirety of the first episode. As far as I'm aware I haven't seen this demo availability on any other platform, but this could always change in the future after I've written this.
Either way, no matter what platform you find yourself playing on, Bendy and the Ink Machine is an experience like no other, and you absolutely must not let it go by you. And if you're a console gamer who loves their physical copies, GameStop carries physical editions for all three platforms (PS4, XB1, NS) for the same $19.99 except for the Switch which is an extra $10 (but still worth it in my opinion).
