Bendy: Secrets of the Machine

About

"Bendy: Secrets of the Machine" is a first-person puzzle-based game set in the eerie and ever-changing world of the Gent Corporation's animation studio. As you explore the drawing room and delve into the secrets of the machine, you'll uncover glimpses of the past, present, and future of the Dark Puddles. Be prepared for unexpected changes in this realm and stay tuned for updates.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Bendy: Secrets of the Machine screenshot

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,952 reviews

story34 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game is constantly updated, providing new content and secrets for players to discover.
It offers a fun experience with a good story and plenty of lore, making it enjoyable for fans of the Bendy franchise.
As a free game, it provides a decent amount of content and is a great teaser for upcoming Bendy projects.

The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks clear direction, leading to confusion and frustration for players.
There are no settings to adjust graphics or controls, which can result in a poor experience for some players.
The game is very short, with some players feeling it doesn't offer enough content to justify playing.

story
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
62%
7%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some praising its engaging narrative and atmospheric elements, particularly for fans of the Bendy franchise. However, others criticize it for lacking depth, twists, and coherence, often feeling disconnected from gameplay mechanics. Overall, while it offers intriguing backstories and easter eggs, many players find it underwhelming or confusing, especially if they are not already invested in the series.
- “A crazy game with a great story.”
- “This is a cool game with a very interesting story.”
- “I absolutely recommend this game, though if you don't know what you're going into, it's a game that has probably the best storytelling of any Bendy game.”
- “The storyline didn't offer much in terms of twists or surprises, which made it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The story was lacking, and has nothing to do with the puzzles that a player is faced with.”
- “It brought in more new characters that had nothing to do with the original story nor interested players, and had content that went against previously established material.”
gameplay
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
82%
5%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive, confusing, and lacking in engaging mechanics, such as the janky can-throwing feature. While some appreciate the lore and visual style, others feel that the gameplay is minimal and not as polished as previous entries in the franchise. Overall, it seems to serve more as a teaser than a fully realized game, appealing primarily to fans of the series rather than those seeking substantial gameplay.
- “I'd say as far as gameplay structure goes, it's pretty good.”
- “This game was pretty good for the 30 minutes of gameplay I got to experience.”
- “It's free, and is about an hour of secret-hunting gameplay, pretty neat.”
- “While the visuals were impressive, the gameplay felt repetitive and lacking in excitement.”
- “Gameplay is honestly very confusing, with little stage design to help the players.”
- “But well none of that matters now because as of the 4.1.4 update, the entrance to where the gameplay takes place is blocked and you cannot access it anymore.”
graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
53%
5%
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many praising the art style and visual aesthetics as impressive and appealing. However, a common complaint is the lack of adjustable graphics settings, which has led to performance issues and lag for some players. Overall, while the visuals are celebrated, the absence of customization options has detracted from the experience for those with lower-end systems.
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same and has a nice aesthetic and art style.”
- “This game from one of my favorite childhood indie game productions took off by storm, the graphics are so realistic with a hint of that artist/drawing aesthetic that is a huge update from BATIM, and a bit of an update from BATDR and BATDS.”
- “A really good game with amazing graphics, we can also see teasers for new upcoming games.”
- “My only complaint is that as far as I know there is no way to adjust the graphics, so the game ran really slow.”
- “There’s no option to brighten your game, turn on subtitles (which should automatically be enabled…), change the volume, and the worst is that you can’t change the game graphics.”
- “It's fun, but I wish you could control the graphic quality because it's a little buggy for me.”
humor
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it genuinely funny and entertaining, particularly through quirky easter eggs and amusing interactions, such as the dancing demon and the bacon soup. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to deliver laughs even amidst its lore, making it a standout experience despite its small scale and limited promotion. Overall, the humor is described as a key element that enhances the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “This is actually one of the funniest games I've played if you don't go for the lore of the game.”
- “But the fact that there's a rave happening in the game is very funny.”
- “This game has tons of secrets and great lore because in some parts they have tons of lore, but others are just plain funny, like the one that involves the bacon soup and the poster. That one got me laughing so hard when I first saw it!”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as eerie, captivating, and beautifully crafted, reminiscent of both the Bendy franchise and Five Nights at Freddy's horror elements. While the sound effects enhance the immersive experience, players find the puzzle design vague and confusing, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Despite this, the game's ability to convey its story through atmosphere remains a strong point.
- “The atmosphere is creepy and beautiful as always, especially after going down the right story path.”
- “It's a super atmospheric game; I'm not very well-versed in Bendy lore, but I can tell how it shows the story.”
- “The atmosphere is as eerie and captivating as ever, but the puzzle is too vague and confusing.”
- “The atmosphere reminds me of some FNAF horror tapes mixed with the old Bendy and the Ink Machine.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its stability, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. While the graphics and art style are appreciated, the lack of control over graphic quality contributes to the instability issues.
- “Eventually, my downvote was related to it being very buggy.”
- “It's fun, but I wish you could control the graphic quality because it's a little buggy for me.”
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
17%
17%
The music in the game has received praise for its creative use of the reversed version of the song "Build Our Machine," which many players consider the highlight of the experience. Additionally, an interactive element involving a box that plays music after multiple clicks adds a fun and engaging layer to the gameplay.
- “The reversed song in the silly bendy is the best part of the game and is amazing.”
- “Well as for this game, if you click the box 414 times it plays a little music, does a little spin, does a little epic rise and then drops back down.”
- “They hid the song 'Build Our Machine' from 2017 in reverse.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with users reporting severe lag, a lack of adjustable settings, and overly dark visuals. While some appreciate the improved art style and lighting techniques compared to previous entries in the series, many feel that the overall performance is still lacking and requires further enhancements.
- “Its good but add optimization; my game lags so much.”
- “Unoptimized as hell, no settings, way too dark, live service.”
- “What I liked: the art appeared to be a true return to form; the style had its original charm with updated lighting techniques and slightly better optimization than previous games in the Bendy series.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for prioritizing advertisements over gameplay, leading to a perception that the game feels more like a promotional tool than an engaging experience. Additionally, the lack of effective marketing has resulted in low visibility, causing players to discover the game long after its release.
- “Most of the game feels more like an advertisement and a joke than an actual game.”
- “Cool puzzle game, however I found out about its existence only 4 months later (lack of advertisement).”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Players consistently express that the grinding required in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it feels like one would need a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game's replayability is rated low, with a score of 4 out of 10, indicating that players find limited incentive to revisit the game after completing it.
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- “The story doesn't change enough on subsequent playthroughs to keep it interesting.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is profound, with players reporting intense feelings that led to tears, highlighting its ability to resonate deeply with them.
- “I cried.”
- “I cried.”