Boris and the Dark Survival is a third-person top-down survival horror video game that is the standalone side prequel to Bendy and the Ink Machine. Developed by Joey Drew Studios, you play as Boris the Wolf this time, the lanky cartoon companion of Bendy and eventual friend to the protagonist in BatIM. Unlike the first game, you can only run and hide from the enemy while completing your tasks.

Help Boris survive

Bendy and the Ink Machine is a five-chaptered episodic first-person puzzle action horror game developed by Joey Drew Studios. You play as Henry Stein, a retired animator who was invited back into his old animation studio for a surprise. Unfortunately, he had inadvertently revived an evil entity known as the Ink Demon. As he traverses the underground labyrinth of the studio, he comes across various allies—one of which is Boris the Wolf or “Buddy Boris.”

In Boris and the Dark Survival, the story is set years before the start of the first game. Boris is currently in hiding and only comes out to replenish his supplies. Playing as him, you have to collect various supplies, secrets, and scraps in each level according to your checklist. Each level is randomly generated and you have to take note of the Little Miracle Stations on the map to hide in once the Ink Demon spawns.

You can also sprint and run away, but this consumes your Bacon Soup meter. To exit the level, you must get all the supplies and then leave through the elevator. Aside from supplies, you collect secrets and scraps of paper to unlock the ending. There are three other major content packs included in the game but overall, there isn’t a solid story here. However, these offer new playable characters and even new enemies to encounter.

A tribute to fans

At its core, Boris and the Dark Survival is a game that’s really meant for the fans of Bendy and the Ink Machine. It contains additional lore regarding the world of BatIM and allows you to see the story through the eyes of the other characters. However, in terms of gameplay, it’s not really challenging once you get used to it and can even become repetitive.