Boris and the Dark Survival

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,264 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Boris and the Dark Survival Game Cover
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"Boris and the Dark Survival" is a survival adventure game featuring the lovable character Boris from the Henry Stickmin series. Players must navigate through a dark and spooky forest, collecting resources and crafting items to survive while avoiding menacing monsters. The goal is to repair Boris's time machine and return to safety, making it a thrilling and engaging experience for all ages.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,264 reviews
gameplay56 positive mentions
grinding26 negative mentions
  • gameplay268 mentions

    The gameplay of "Boris and the Dark Survival" is characterized by its simple mechanics and repetitive fetch quests, which can lead to a monotonous experience over time. While the game offers a straightforward survival loop with strategic elements like stamina management, many players find it best suited for short sessions due to its lack of depth and challenge. Overall, it provides a fun, albeit basic, experience that may appeal primarily to die-hard fans of the Bendy franchise, especially when played casually.

    • “It’s a very straightforward gameplay loop, but it works well for what the game aims to deliver: a tense survival experience in bite-sized chunks.”
    • “The mechanics of the stamina bar and the stations for both 'bacon soup' and a cubical to hide in are a really nice addition as they are spread out in each floor making the player have to venture around to find these to aid them in their traversal through the floor.”
    • “This game has so much replayability, along with intense and sometimes hair-raising gameplay, with a grand atmosphere.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is so agonizingly repetitive and boring that it honestly feels like a mobile game that somehow wound up on PC.”
    • “Boris and the Dark Survival fell flat for me due to its boring and repetitive gameplay.”
    • “To say it briefly: rather boring and repetitive gameplay, can get frustrating quickly.”
  • story192 mentions

    The story in "Boris and the Dark Survival" is generally considered light and minimal compared to its predecessor, "Bendy and the Ink Machine." While it offers some backstory for the character Boris through a series of fetch quests and scattered lore elements, many players feel it lacks depth and character-driven narrative. Fans of the Bendy series may appreciate the additional context it provides, but newcomers might find the storyline insufficient as a standalone experience.

    • “As Boris, you’re tasked with scavenging for supplies while slowly uncovering bits of backstory that add more depth to the world you’re in.”
    • “I love how this game tells the tale of a survivor who tries to manage in a twisted 'haunted mansion' art studio of a world, before the original story of Bendy & the Ink Machine.”
    • “Super super good adds lots of backstory to Boris from Bendy and the Ink Machine; I really recommend it.”
    • “While the game lacks a rich, character-driven storyline, its minimal narrative approach fits well with its quick, pick-up-and-play style.”
    • “Levels are all very similar, the enemy AI is very easy to evade, and there is barely any story throughout the game.”
    • “Boris and the dark survival is basically just one long series of fetch quests in randomly generated levels after randomly generated levels without those tapes.”
  • graphics126 mentions

    The graphics of *Boris and the Dark Survival* are widely praised for their vintage cartoon aesthetics, maintaining the signature style of the *Bendy* series while offering smooth animations and visually appealing environments. Many reviewers highlight the atmospheric art design and sound, which effectively contribute to the game's eerie ambiance, although some note that the graphics may lag on lower-end systems. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game, with ratings often around 8.5 to 9 out of 10.

    • “Visually, *Boris and the Dark Survival* stays true to the signature art style of the *Bendy* series, with its vintage cartoon aesthetics.”
    • “The graphics and visuals are stunning, the animation is great, and everything overall looks visually upgraded from *Bendy and the Ink Machine*.”
    • “The game has some really beautiful environments and the graphics are really well designed and laid out.”
    • “The only thing that really went wrong about it for me was lag, but lowering the quality and graphics fixed that.”
    • “This is essentially a mobile game on Steam, and the new graphics look kind of washed-out.”
    • “Overall, it's like the devs were like 'let's put graphics from the original game, put some already known mechanics and sell it on Steam.'”
  • music114 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its fun, old-timey style that captures the essence of the game's setting. Players appreciate the variety of music tracks, including chase themes that add tension during gameplay, and the inclusion of collectible music discs and dance moves. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.

    • “The strong points first, great game design, intense music and excellent sound effects!”
    • “Its an amazing top-down version of the studio with insanely good music and atmosphere.”
    • “The design is great, amazing soundtrack, and actually scary!”
    • “Even the enemy variety feels lackluster; since they can all kill you in one hit, the only difference being their chase music and how fast they can run after you.”
    • “New music: they updated the chase music for most of the enemies, and it's the same one.”
    • “There are very scarce collectibles in the form of 4 music tracks and 7 'scraps' inside of lockers that will randomly give you one of these in what seems to be a 1 in 10 chance, so in order to get them all you'll probably end up playing through 10+ of these barely-different levels.”
  • atmosphere38 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique blend of sepia-toned visuals and 1930s animation-inspired character designs, creating an unsettling yet engaging experience reminiscent of the original title. While it may not deliver full horror depth, the sound design and limited visibility contribute to a tense ambiance, with moments that evoke both relaxation and suspense. Overall, players appreciate the atmospheric consistency and the effective use of tension, making it a compelling backdrop for the gameplay.

    • “The sepia-toned environments and the 1930s animation-inspired character designs create a unique and unsettling atmosphere, even if it isn’t particularly scary.”
    • “The limited visibility paired with the sepia color scheme really make for a spooky and tense atmosphere.”
    • “Atmosphere is really tense with sounds and fearing for your life hearing Bendy's breathing and heartbeat.”
    • “Somehow the atmosphere is really tense, in spite of the toony designs, and the ink demon still has a fear-inducing presence.”
  • humor32 mentions

    The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, blending funny moments with the overall tension and stress of gameplay. Players enjoy quirky interactions, amusing character designs, and humorous mechanics, such as the ability to outsmart enemies in comical ways. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with its scary elements, making it an entertaining experience for fans.

    • “A great and funny game any Bendy fan would like!”
    • “The amount of times I'd have to go back to get all of the collectibles is hilarious, and it took me 2 hours to get to day 7.”
    • “It is funny and scary all mixed in one giant game.”
  • grinding32 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive effort for minimal rewards. While some appreciate the fun elements and character unlocks, the overall sentiment leans towards the experience being shallow and frustrating, leading to suggestions of playing briefly before refunding. Despite the grind, a few players still find value in the game, indicating it may appeal to those willing to endure the repetitive gameplay.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Played it for 10 hours, lost my mind at how tedious and meaningless it is.”
    • “The game introduces several new characters and tapes and there are a couple fun songs/dances that Boris can do, but really it feels so grindy and the spawn rates feel too low.”
    • “I suggest buying the game, playing an hour of it, then refunding it, because it's just boring and tedious after that.”
  • replayability20 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the procedurally generated levels and the addition of new playable characters that enhance replay value, others feel that once the game is completed or secrets are discovered, it lacks incentive for further play. Frequent updates and new content are seen as positive factors that could improve replayability, but some players express disappointment in the overall depth and variety available after initial exploration.

    • “Procedurally generated levels add replay value.”
    • “This game has so much replayability, along with intense and sometimes hair-raising gameplay, with a grand atmosphere.”
    • “It gets constant free updates which always add tons of new things that will increase replayability for sure.”
    • “Would not play this again after the 100% and barely replayable.”
    • “Whilst this game is a roguelite (a progress based randomly generated game) the replay value is not great, with a few collectibles which can be discovered in a few hours and sometimes added new mechanics.”
    • “Since BATIM doesn't have much replay value if you already know about the secret messages, I hoped that this game would be able to keep me satisfied until Bioshock: Bendy Edition (Bendy and the Dark Revival) was released.”
  • monetization10 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a "cheap cash grab," with a price increase from $1 to $3, leading to mixed feelings among players. While some acknowledge it as an acceptable mobile game without ads, many express disappointment in its perceived lack of value. Overall, the monetization approach has left players feeling underwhelmed.

    • “It's a cash grab... 'bout it.”
    • “It's an okay game if you have nothing better to do, but I have a life and I really thought this game would not be a sorry cash grab, but it is.”
    • “Sure, it's a cheap cash grab that tripled the price from $1 to $3, but it isn't all that terrible.”
  • stability8 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally regarded as good, with most players experiencing only minor bugs and glitches. Some users noted issues related to save data, particularly when changing or resetting computers, while others reported no significant problems at all. Despite occasional stability concerns, the game remains enjoyable and worth the price for many players.

    • “Crashes, glitches, and once you play 20 minutes of this game, you've played it all.”
    • “Even though there are glitches (which are not bugs, they are about the save) like not getting the save back when you get a new computer or just need to restart/wipe your PC because of a virus... it still feels good, so these $2.40 are definitely worth it.”
    • “Drawbacks of course that it can get a bit repetitive and did run into some minor bugs and glitches here and there, but apart from that, it's pretty damn stable.”
  • character development4 mentions

    The character development is enhanced by the unique sepia-toned environments and 1930s animation-inspired designs, which contribute to an unsettling yet visually appealing atmosphere. While the graphics are praised for their aesthetic quality, the depth of character development itself is not explicitly addressed in the reviews.

  • emotional2 mentions

    Reviews indicate a sense of disappointment and emotional detachment from the game, as players feel abandoned due to a lack of new content and updates. This stagnation has led to frustration, diminishing the emotional connection players once had with the game.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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