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  1. Originally released episodically starting in 2017, Bendy and the Ink Machine turns a classic animation studio (in the vein of classic Mickey Mouse cartoons) into a perfectly creepy setting in this first-person horror game. But although the game is oozing style, the gameplay and narrative leave something to be desired. You play as Henry Stein, a retired animator who is invited to visit his old animation studio by his old employer, Joey Drew. Once you get there though it's clear that something is terribly wrong, and your only choice is to delve further into the mystery in the hopes of finding a way out. It's not the first time we've seen a horror setting use something that is typically thought to be sweet and child-friendly (in this case, classic black and white cartoons), but Bendy and the Ink Machine does a great job of leveraging this backdrop into an unsettling setting. The emphasis on ink is also perfect for grotesque, creepy scenery—the whole game nails the atmosphere that something eerie is always happening just out of eyesight. The actual plot though fails to capitalize on the setting. There's just a little too much that is unexplained as you explore this mysteriously elaborate and derelict cartoon studio which makes it hard to feel invested by the end. It's unfortunately clear that the game was developed episodically without a strong narrative throughline to keep everything connected, resulting in an ending that falls flat. Bendy and the Ink Machine draws on the horror game blueprint that has become pretty standard over the past few years. You've got a first-person perspective to keep everything feeling close and dangerous, simple environmental puzzles to solve in order to progress, and a basic combat system (though there are also several scenes where your only option is to flee or hide from impervious monsters). If you've played any such horror games lately then this one is going to feel pretty by the numbers, i.e. find a valve handle to clear out some pipes blocking your way. The game wears its inspirations from other games on its sleeve, from audio log backstories to the mysterious side characters you meet while exploring. That doesn't necessarily mean the game is bad, but there's nothing particularly new or intriguing about the gameplay—even if you're in a constant state of tension while exploring, the gameplay feels pretty rote. The somewhat lackluster gameplay is also brought down by some mildly annoying quirks, such as the way puzzles have to be solved in a specific order—i.e., you might find a suspicious valve handle on the ground, but you won't be able to pick it up until you've found the pipe that is missing such a handle. It's understandable that the game would force you on these linear paths in order to make use of jumpscares and the like, but it feels silly at times when you can see a solution clearly but can't quite access it until you do things in the right order. The bigger issue with Bendy and the Ink Machine's gameplay is the combat. At times you're given melee weapons and are able to fight back against the inky blob monsters that pursue you, but hit detection and aiming leave much to be desired. This imprecision only becomes more frustrating against strong enemies that have a knack for hitting you and knocking you away before you can even get a swing in. Trying to fight back against these horrors just feels clumsy and awkward, like you're lumbering about. The good news is that the game autosaves frequently so even if you do succumb you won't lose much progress, but the flip side of that feature is the way it really lowers the stakes on surviving the game's traps—there's not a lot of tension while running from monsters if you'll conveniently respawn nearby with little progress lost. Bendy and the Ink Machine may not use the exact same classic animation of old cartoons but the inspiration is clear in the game's visual style. The developers have gotten a ton of personality out of the sepia toned graphics, painting a perfect backdrop for an eerie horror game, and the artwork nails the sense of "what if Disney were overrun by monsters?" The soundtrack is appropriately eerie as well, relying on tried and true creepy stringed instruments, and the voice work is good—though not necessarily great—at injecting some personality into the scattered audio logs you'll find while exploring. This is by no means a long game as, even when you're hunting for some item needed to progress, there isn't a ton of rooms to explore, so the game's progression is brisk and straight-forward. It only takes about four hours to finish the whole game, though there's a small incentive to replay the game with a bonus item to uncover some hidden secrets. Even so this is the kind of game that can easily by finished in one evening. Bendy and the Ink Machine establishes an intriguing horror setting that unfortunately runs out of steam by the end of the adventure. A mediocre story and lackluster gameplay fail to make the most out of the game's stylish blend of classic cartoons and horror, and the resulting game is not wholly bad but also nothing particularly remarkable either. Bendy and the Ink Machine is enough to supply a few frights for the evening but doesn't have the depth to make it memorable once the lights are back on. Rating: 6 out of 10 Cartoons
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