NSW Bendy and the Ink Machine
Joey Drew Studios' inky cartoon horror finally on a cartridge, with polished visuals and a collector's pin in the box.
The thing that really stands out here is the atmosphere: that 1930s animation studio in sepia, all dripping ink and groaning projectors, is genuinely a joy to wander through. The gameplay itself is less remarkable, a mix of light puzzles and stiff stealth, but for a Bendy fan this physical enhanced edition is the nicest way to own the story. Expect roughly four to five hours and no more.
Reasons to buy
- Gorgeous sepia art style that nails the old rubberhose cartoon look
- All five chapters complete on a single cartridge, no downloads needed
- Remastered visuals and a smoother framerate than the original Switch release
- Nice touches: an exclusive collector's pin and a download code for the soundtrack
Reasons to consider
- Combat and stealth feel clunky and shallow
- At four to five hours it's fairly short for the price (around £25 / $30)
- Movement is sluggish and sprinting barely makes a difference
An ink world that lingers
Bendy's charm lives in its presentation, not its mechanics. You play Henry, a former animator returning to Joey Drew's abandoned studio, and from the first minute you're soaked in a world of flickering projector light, creaking wooden floors and walls that literally sweat ink. The sepia tint and 1930s rubberhose cartoon style give the whole thing an uneasy, retro feel you rarely find elsewhere in horror. In this enhanced edition the ink looks thicker and more menacing, and it runs more smoothly than the old digital version in both handheld and docked modes.
Atmosphere over challenge
Beneath the pretty surface sits a fairly straightforward game. You roam the studio, crank valves, hunt for keys and solve light environmental puzzles while occasionally dodging an enemy. The combat is where we're less keen: it feels slow and fumbly, and sneaking past monsters rarely gets genuinely tense. It's more an interactive scary walk than a demanding game. Anyone after deep mechanics will be disappointed, but anyone who wants the story and the creepy mood gets exactly what they came for.
Who is it for?
Perfect for Bendy fans and collectors who want the story physically on the shelf, plus teens who like accessible, low-gore horror. Skip it if you want action-heavy, mechanically deep games, or if a short runtime bothers you at this price.
FAQ
Is the whole story on the cartridge?
Yes, all five chapters are complete on the cartridge, so you don't need to download anything extra to finish the story. There's a separate download code in the box for the soundtrack.
Is it scary enough for adults, or too scary for kids?
It's jumpscare horror with a cartoonish, non-gory tone. Seasoned horror fans will find it more tense than terrifying; for younger children, the scares and dark atmosphere may be a bit much.
