Bendy and the Dark Revival
- This article refers to the second Bendy game installment. For other uses, see Bendy (disambiguation).
"Bendy and the Dark Revival® is a first-person survival horror game set in the creepiest cartoon studio to ever exist. Discover the truth. Escape the studio. Above all, fear the Ink Demon…and survive." |
Bendy and the Dark Revival, abbreviated as BatDR, is a first-person survival horror game and the second installment of the primary series from the Bendy franchise developed by Joey Drew Studios Inc. Originally a standalone game, it was repurposed as an indirect sequel to Bendy and the Ink Machine. The game was released on November 15, 2022 on Steam for PC, and its console release for Xbox and PlayStation came out on March 1, 2023.
On May 29th, 2025, it was announced that Silver Lining Interactive would be selling physical copies of the game for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, with their own exclusive Ink Demon pin, while the digital copies of the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch version will release on July 11th.
Bendy and the Dark Revival will be followed up by the third and final installment to the trilogy, Bendy and the Ink Factory.
Summary
- Be Born of Darkness
Play as Audrey as she explores the depths of a curiously creepy animation studio that’s gone completely mad.
- A Fight for Survival
Return to a drawn world of nightmares to sneak, fight, and solve your way through its many deep shadows. Collect the powers of the ink and upgrade your weapon to overcome terrifying obstacles and unspeakable monsters.
- Creatures of the Abyss
A twisted rogue's gallery of re-animated abominations await you. They stalk the halls ready to attack and demolish anything in their path. Prepare to face these inky inhabitants on their own dark turf. Above all, beware the Ink Demon.
- A Dark Tale of Discovery
The grim story unfolds as you dive in the lost reaches of the past. Discover who you are. Uncover the truth to set yourself free from the stained hell of Joey Drew Studios.[1]
Synopsis
Characters
- Main article: List of characters (Bendy and the Dark Revival)
- Audrey Drew - The animator of Arch Gate Pictures and the main protagonist of Bendy and the Dark Revival. She is revealed to be the daughter of Joey Drew, who is both her father and creator.
- Bendy - The physical manifestation of Joey Drew Studios's mascot and the deuteragonist of Bendy and the Dark Revival. His demonic form, the Ink Demon himself, serves as the recurring central antagonist of Bendy and the Dark Revival.
- Wilson Arch - The janitor of Arch Gate Pictures, the son of Nathan Arch, and the main antagonist of Bendy and the Dark Revival.
- Joey Drew - The founder of Joey Drew Studios and the father of Audrey Drew. He makes his physical return since Chapter 3.
- Allison Pendle - The former voice actress of Alice Angel and appear in her animated form as one of the allies.
- Thomas Connor - The Gent worker and appear in his animated form as one of the allies. He physically appears in Chapter 5.
- Henry Stein - The former animator of Joey Drew Studios and one of the allies. He makes his physical return in Chapter 4.
- Porter - A goofy Lost One and one of the allies. He first appears in Chapter 2.
- Heidi - A bashful Lost One and one of the allies. She makes her first appearance in Chapter 4.
- Steve McGregor - The former worker of Gent. He recently became an ink monster and a later ally. He first appears in Chapter 4.
- Susie Campbell - While she is only briefly mentioned once, her twisted animated form does return in the final chapter.
- Keepers - The enforcers of the ink realm who serve Wilson and the secondary antagonists of Bendy and the Dark Revival.
- Lord Amok - A Lost One who rules over the sewers. He only appears as the end boss of Chapter 3.
- Mad Artist - A deranged and paranoid Lost One who is obsessed with his own artwork.
- Alan Gray - The CEO of the Gent Corporation who serves as the overarching antagonist of Bendy and the Dark Revival.
- Betty - Wilson's house keeper of his manor. She appears in Chapter 5.
- Nathan Arch - The founder of Arch Gate Pictures. His voice was only heard in couple of audio logs.
Story
Prologue
- For a walkthrough guide, see Bendy and the Dark Revival: Prologue
On June 18, 1973, Audrey is an animator who works at Arch Gate Pictures and spends her night working overtime on animations. She gets up after a grueling shift of redrawing old frames from Joey Drew's Bendy cartoons to get coffee, and encounters Wilson, the janitor. Wilson and Audrey enter the ink realm, where Wilson beings to solidify his position as the new ruler of the realm.
Chapter 1: Drawn to Darkness
- For a walkthrough guide, see Bendy and the Dark Revival: Chapter 1 - Drawn to Darkness
Chapter 2: The Demon's Domain
- For a walkthrough guide, see Bendy and the Dark Revival: Chapter 2 - The Demon's Domain
Chapter 3: The Eternal Machine
- For a walkthrough guide, see Bendy and the Dark Revival: Chapter 3 - The Eternal Machine
Chapter 4: Factory of Horrors
- For a walkthrough guide, see Bendy and the Dark Revival: Chapter 4 - Factory of Horrors
Chapter 5: The Dark Revival
- For a walkthrough guide, see Bendy and the Dark Revival: Chapter 5 - The Dark Revival
Gameplay
Stealth
Combat
Puzzles
Development
The game's development officially began on February 10, 2019, as announced by the "From the desk of Joey Drew - February 10th, 1931" video for the series' second anniversary, shortly after the release of the "Tasty Trio Troubles" cartoon short and the first Showdown Bandit teaser video. In this video, it features an audio log with a new design, and plays the voice of Joey from February 10, 1931, who was talking about hiring new employees and "bringing dreams to life." At the end, it displays this message - "Bendy will return," announcing a second Bendy game.[2]
Mike Mood confirmed that the game will not be a sequel or a prequel to Bendy and the Ink Machine, nor it would be called "Bendy and the Ink Machine 2." However, it does take place in a whole new different setting.[3] The game will also be released on PC, mobile ports, and all home consoles.[4] The Joey Drew Studios development team released a new teaser a few days later on February 22 2019, to announce that the game is already under early stages of development.[5]
On March 8, 2019, when visiting the now-defunct Kindly Beast site's "About Us" page, two unreleased games' titles were revealed from the company's list of developed games and one of them is the new Bendy game, although they were redacted.
On February 18, 2019, a new audio log video was released on the Joey Drew Studios YouTube Channel. The Tap feature Wally Franks talking about Sammy Lawrence and Susie Campbell. At the end, it displayed the "Bendy Will Return" message.[6]
On February 25, 2019, another audio log was released on the Joey Drew Studios YouTube Channel, This time the tape featured Thomas Connor talking about the annoyance of having to install so many pipes in the studio. At the end, it displayed yet again the "Bendy Will Return" message.
On March 4, 2019, another audio log was released to the channel featuring Susie Campbell talking about Sammy and everybody else creating a new character, saying that shes got a good feeling about it. At the end, it displayed the Bendy Will Return message for the third time.
On March 11, 2019, another audio log was released featuring Bertrum Piedmont who talked about being hired by Joey to create BendyLand and criticizing him for just giving ideas and not building upon them himself. At the end, it displayed the "Bendy Will Return" message for the forth time.
On March 18, 2019, another audio log was released featuring Sammy Lawrence who talked about how constantly working on four cartoons that are near finished and completing songs on a tight deadline has affected him so much mentally that he started to see Bendy in his sleep everytime, he also points out how whenever he sees his grin, he's says that there's something unsettling about it that he couldn't pinpoint exactly why until he dismisses it to focus back on his work. At the end, it displayed the "Bendy Will Return" message for the fifth time.
On March 25, 2019, another audio long was released featuring Jack Fain who talked about how he saw Joey Drew talking to Thomas Connor about something unknown at the time. At the end, it displayed the "Bendy Will Return" message one last time.
On April 1st, 2019, one last audio log was released to the Joey Drew Studios featuring "Unknown", At the beginning, the tape was cycling through each recordings from previously mentioned individuals until an unknown voice at the time saying a few words, "How very interesting.. Such Knowledge" before the video ends with a date that on April 14th, 2019, the name for the game would be revealed.
Reception
Awards
On December 23, 2022, Bendy and the Dark Revival became a nominee for Most Outstanding Visual Style in Steam Awards 2022.
Trivia
- The game was alternatively titled Bendy and the Children of the Machine at one point during production.
Gallery
Main gallery: Bendy and the Dark Revival/gallery
Videos
See also
- Bendy: Lone Wolf, a side-story game about Boris the Wolf's solo adventure during the events of the Dark Revival.
- Bendy: The Cage, a side-story game about Henry's escape from The Pit before the finale of the Dark Revival.
References
- ↑ Bendy and the Dark Revival on Steam.
- ↑ YouTube From the Desk of Joey Drew Feb 10th, 1931
- ↑ "We’re not making a sequel, we’re not making a prequel, we’re not making Bendy and the Ink Machine 2, but bendy will return. A new #Bendy game is in the works." - Mike Mood. February 13, 2019. Twitter. (Dead link)
- ↑ "Goal is to release on all platforms. :)" - Mike Mood. February 13, 2019. Twitter. (Dead link)
- ↑ "Bendy will return. #Bendy #BATIM #BendyandtheInkMachine" - Joey Drew Studios. February 22, 2019. Twitter Archive.
- ↑ YouTube Wally Franks - March 5th, 1933
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