Bendy and the Dark Revival

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 7,107 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Bendy and the Dark Revival Game Cover
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"Bendy and the Dark Revival" is a first-person survival horror game and the sequel to "Bendy and the Ink Machine". Play as Audrey and explore a creepy animation studio, solving puzzles and fighting ink-tainted enemies to escape. Discover the dark secrets of the studio while evading the Ink Demon and uncover the terrifying truth behind the rubber hose cartoon world.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,107 reviews
story796 positive mentions
grinding51 negative mentions
  • story1,723 mentions

    The story of "Bendy and the Dark Revival" has been widely praised for its depth and coherence compared to its predecessor, "Bendy and the Ink Machine." Many players appreciate the improved character development, engaging plot twists, and the way it expands on the lore of the series, making it a compelling experience for both new players and fans of the original. However, some critiques mention that the pacing can feel rushed at times, and certain gameplay elements, like fetch quests, detract from the overall narrative flow.

    • “The story is pretty interesting, but the lore has become dumbed down in comparison to the previous game, which isn't a huge thing to a lot of people, but it really feels like they took the easiest to write path.”
    • “Good quality and great storyline with a lot of lore to uncover, just a true masterpiece.”
    • “The story building, twists and turns as well as the overall story of this game series so far is top notch.”
    • “The story is nonsensical, with a new main character I don't care about, fleshing out a world I already had 0 interest in.”
    • “The story is a bigger mess than the first game.”
    • “The story felt very rushed, like the developers wrote down whatever they thought the fans wanted to see.”
  • gameplay1,056 mentions

    The gameplay of "Bendy and the Dark Revival" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant improvements over its predecessor, "Bendy and the Ink Machine." While the introduction of new mechanics and a more polished combat system are praised, the ink demon's hide-and-seek mechanic is often criticized for being annoying and detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a blend of exploration, puzzles, and combat, but some players feel that the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, particularly in combat mechanics.

    • “The gameplay is a huge factor of the game since it's way more different and way more fun than the first.”
    • “The gameplay has potential to be replayable.”
    • “The new gameplay mechanics had a bit of a learning curve, but once you get the hang of them, it's a really nice, fresh experience.”
    • “The ink demon's mechanic is annoying and a pain to deal with when hiding spots aren't around or you're in the middle of a fight.”
    • “While I must agree that the game has a rather interesting style, it has a negative effect on gameplay: have you ever tried to collect items that look like a flat piece of inked cardboard in an environment where everything looks like a flat piece of inked cardboard?”
    • “The gameplay is really bad, but the story saves it.”
  • graphics949 mentions

    The graphics in "Bendy and the Dark Revival" have received widespread acclaim for their significant improvements over the original game, showcasing stunning visuals that blend a unique cartoonish art style with a darker, more atmospheric tone. Players have praised the detailed character designs, immersive environments, and the overall aesthetic that enhances the horror experience, often drawing comparisons to titles like Bioshock. While some users noted performance issues and occasional graphical glitches, the consensus is that the game's visuals are a standout feature, contributing to a captivating and engaging gameplay experience.

    • “The graphics are absolutely fantastic, the story is intricate (but not too complicated), the voice acting is phenomenal and the character designs are out of this world.”
    • “The graphics have been upgraded while still being able to retain the style of the original game.”
    • “The graphics are stunning while keeping the old style.”
    • “Also really annoying is despite the mostly simple graphics, performance can dip quite a lot sometimes, especially when there are a lot of enemies nearby, making those sections even more annoying.”
    • “The art style ends up being very lazy with most of the game just blurring together because it's the same few assets being reused to death.”
    • “I had a horrible PC and I had to turn off every setting in graphics, and even then it still froze on loading screens and gave me about 5 FPS as max.”
  • atmosphere171 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Bendy and the Dark Revival" is widely praised for its dark, immersive quality, drawing inspiration from Victorian horror and classic animation styles. Many reviewers highlight the game's stunning visuals, effective sound design, and engaging world-building, which collectively create a captivating and eerie experience. While some critiques mention a reliance on jump scares and gameplay flaws, the overall consensus is that the atmosphere significantly enhances the storytelling and player experience, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The game's atmosphere remains very atmospheric, filled with a dark, disturbing mood reminiscent of Victorian horror films and the cartoonish style of the 1930s.”
    • “Bendy and the Dark Revival improves on the first game, offering a unique and eerie atmosphere with intriguing art style and storytelling.”
    • “The atmosphere is stunning as well as the graphics.”
    • “The game gives no room for tension to build, or for the atmosphere to set you on edge, because as previously mentioned, they won't stop shoving audio logs down your throat that mostly say nothing of interest or importance to the story.”
    • “It's like going to a painfully crap haunted house that tries too hard to scare you with cheap and uninspired jump scares and just understands nothing about atmosphere.”
    • “Overall, I wouldn't even call this a horror game since even basic things like a spooky atmosphere are missing.”
  • music131 mentions

    The music in "Bendy and the Dark Revival" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that enhances the game's atmosphere and emotional depth. The sound design, including ambient noises and character themes, effectively sets the mood for both tense and calm moments, contributing significantly to the overall experience. While some players noted that the music may not be as memorable as in the first game, the majority found it to be a standout feature, elevating the game's artistic and narrative elements.

    • “Even the music is absolutely breathtaking.”
    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal.”
    • “The music is amazing and the visuals are brilliant, the first game was already super cool with their unique design but this one really stepped it up a notch.”
    • “The soundtrack though and visual look are probably the only two good things that came out of the sequel; everything else was mid and/or disappointing.”
    • “The butcher gang essentially suddenly appear with a sudden theme song and then they disappear after hiding. The ink demon randomly alerts you that he is coming and you must hide or get killed (for real this time). Both of these appear really fun and engaging in let's plays but are actually incredibly tiring and annoying when you play the game.”
    • “Also, the music this time around doesn't seem as memorable as the first game.”
  • grinding84 mentions

    The reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious and frustrating, particularly on harder difficulty levels, where players often feel overwhelmed by repetitive tasks and backtracking. While some players appreciate improvements over the original game, many still find certain gameplay elements, such as fetch quests and combat mechanics, to be monotonous and detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game has its merits, it can become a slog due to its grindy nature.

    • “The gameplay isn't as tedious as the first game; there aren't many annoying tasks and it's an open world game [somewhat].”
    • “Honestly, the game is probably fine if you play on easy (or normal) where you can easily fight even a bunch of enemies, but on hard, this game is unfair, tedious, and just super annoying.”
    • “The fantastic visuals and atmosphere are propped down by tedious, janky gameplay and odd design decisions that result in a fragmented game that tries so hard to live up to its inspirations, but simply can't decide on what it is.”
    • “Since everyone is making reviews after they've played the game for 5 seconds and calling it amazing, I'm here to say I've been wandering around the same 5 rooms for 3 hours and have not been able to find any objectives to continue the story. There were no quest markers, no hints, not a single thing. Enemies popped up at random, and because of how combat encounters are structured, you could easily lose ~30 minutes of progress because your tools and the enemy health are not properly balanced. I'll wait for a future update to see if they can add more helpful pointers, but because of the state that the game was left in, I don't have high hopes. I was enjoying the game a lot at the beginning of my playthrough, but now it's simply tedious.”
  • stability80 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as issues with saving, enemy AI, and occasional crashes. While some users noted improvements over the previous installment and experienced minimal technical problems, others found the game frustratingly unstable, leading to a recommendation to wait for patches or sales before purchasing. Overall, the game's performance varies significantly among players, with some enjoying a relatively smooth experience while others faced significant technical challenges.

    • “This game has amazing gameplay mechanics, next to no glitches or errors in game development (that I noticed in my playthroughs), and somehow explains the main storyline of the first one in places that may have been confusing.”
    • “There was little to no glitches and it was super polished.”
    • “11/10 it has been mostly bug free for me so that is a plus.”
    • “It's buggy and doesn't allow for smooth gameplay.”
    • “The story is great, which makes it a fairly good game, but it's filled with more glitches than an N64 game.”
    • “Way too buggy of a game, literally can't keep going even though I spent 3+ hours on a run (can't even open the pause menu, have to alt+F4 to close the game).”
  • optimization76 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including frame rate drops, stuttering, and a lack of customizable settings such as key bindings and field of view sliders. While some users experienced smooth gameplay, the consensus indicates that the game is poorly optimized, particularly for lower-end hardware, leading to a frustrating experience for many. Despite the appealing graphics and gameplay, the optimization shortcomings detract from the overall enjoyment and immersion.

    • “The optimization of this game - I mean, masterpiece - is insane!”
    • “This game is a phenomenal successor to the previous title; there are very little bugs and it runs smoothly, the story is great and the graphics are amazing.”
    • “No bugs, the game is well optimized.”
    • “Optimization is bad and I can't play it.”
    • “This game is not optimized and runs terrible.”
    • “The optimization is also lacking where the game struggles to stay at a consistent 60fps and my performance tanked even more during the finale.”
  • character development67 mentions

    Character development in "Bendy and the Dark Revival" has received mixed feedback, with many praising the improved character designs and engaging storylines that enhance the overall experience. While some players appreciated the depth and evolution of characters like Audrey and Allison, others felt that certain aspects of character development were lacking, particularly in terms of predictability and interaction opportunities. Overall, the game is noted for its stunning visuals and character aesthetics, though some reviewers expressed a desire for more nuanced character arcs and interactions.

    • “The character development in Bendy and the Dark Revival is commendable.”
    • “Great storyline, great character development, and great concept.”
    • “The character designs are gorgeous, every environment perfectly reflects just how much the studio has rotted and fallen to ruin, and the story benefited entirely from the decision to release it as a full game rather than have it be episodic.”
    • “Some characters' voice acting was very cliché, which contributed to very predictable character development.”
    • “But this game throws out any questions about Bendy and the Ink Machine and doesn't feature any character development; the combat wasn't even changed except they made a stealth takedown.”
    • “Animations were stiff, gameplay was a walking simulator and felt repeated, no good character development, the entire story was handed to the player, a very predictable game.”
  • humor57 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its slapstick elements, such as enemies getting hilariously stuck in terrain and engaging in comical interactions. Players appreciate the funny mechanics, like enemies ignoring players hiding nearby, and the presence of amusing easter eggs and dialogue, although some find the humor inconsistent or overshadowed by gameplay flaws. Overall, while the game has its share of funny moments, opinions vary on whether these contribute positively to the experience or detract from it.

    • “The enemies are so dumb they constantly get stuck in terrain and bump into each other hilariously using their combat dodge to fix their position.”
    • “The game also has a bunch of funny moments, easter eggs, and even side quests the player can do.”
    • “Just your usual slight glitches here and there of any just released game like the searchers hilariously running into each other and flying backwards from the impact.”
    • “Not funny, not fun, just stupid.”
    • “The dialogue can be a little cheesy at times. When writing dialogue, I suggest saying it out loud to make it sound like something someone would genuinely say in that situation. Take a look at Portal 2; I would love to see some humor in Bendy's writing.”
  • emotional34 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game has been widely praised, with many players expressing that it evoked genuine feelings, including tears during pivotal moments. Reviewers highlighted the depth of the story and character development, particularly noting the complex journey of protagonists like Alice and the emotional weight of the ending. While some felt a disconnect at times, the overall consensus is that the game successfully blends horror with heartfelt storytelling, creating a memorable and impactful experience.

    • “One of the game's most remarkable feats is its ability to evoke genuine emotional responses.”
    • “This emotional depth adds an unexpected richness to the horror experience, making it more than a series of jump scares—it's an introspective exploration of darkness within and without.”
    • “The story was wild and proved that TheMeatly and the other writers could actually make some deep characters (Joey and Wilson especially), and at times even touching moments.”
  • replayability31 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it highly replayable due to hidden secrets, collectibles, and multiple endings, others feel that a lack of variety in interactions and challenges diminishes its long-term appeal. Many appreciate the engaging story and mechanics that encourage multiple playthroughs, but some express that the experience can become tedious after a few runs. Ultimately, the game's replay value seems to depend on individual preferences and play styles.

    • “To add to that, the replayability of the game is phenomenal with secret sections, easter eggs, and even two hidden endings that have special requirements to obtain.”
    • “High replayability for sure; I want to go back and get some of the things I missed.”
    • “It's definitely worth the thirty bucks since it's undoubtedly replayable due to the amount of detail and achievements they put into this game.”
    • “The lack of variety in interactions and challenges may detract from the overall immersion and replay value of the game.”
    • “All in all was a decent game but has no real replayability for me.”
    • “Supposedly has different endings lending to replayability, but I would honestly have a hard time if someone offered me $1,000 to replay this game... that's how boring it was.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game primarily revolves around microtransactions and in-game purchases, which some players appreciate as they feel the game does not exploit these elements excessively. However, there are mixed feelings, with some reviewers perceiving it as a potential cash grab, contrasting with the overall positive reception of the game's quality and design.

    • “Microtransactions are well-balanced and don't feel intrusive.”
    • “The in-game purchases enhance the experience without being necessary to enjoy the game.”
    • “I appreciate that the monetization model allows for both free and paid options, making it accessible for everyone.”
    • “Feels like a cheap cash grab and nothing more.”
    • “Microtransactions - in-game purchases.”
    • “Microtransactions - in-game purchases.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

8hMedian play time
206hAverage play time
5-9hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 33 analyzed playthroughs

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