Choose Bendy: Secrets of the Machine
Choose Bendy: Secrets of the Machine if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 1,147 Steam reviews back the pick.
Bendy: Secrets of the Machine vs Bendy and the Ink Machine
Bendy: Secrets of the Machine and Bendy and the Ink Machine both land in Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Bendy and the Ink Machine (2017) is 7 years older than Bendy: Secrets of the Machine (2024). Bendy and the Ink Machine scores higher on Steam reviews (88.2% positive) than Bendy: Secrets of the Machine (83% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Bendy and the Ink Machine
Choose Bendy and the Ink Machine if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 88.2% positive across 11,666 reviews.
Both Bendy: Secrets of the Machine and Bendy and the Ink Machine sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Bendy: Secrets of the Machine |  Bendy and the Ink Machine | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Casual | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | Free to play | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 83% positive (1,147 reviews) | 88.2% positive (11,666 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Gent Corporation | Joey Drew Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Bendy and the Ink Machine (2017) is 7 years older than Bendy: Secrets of the Machine (2024).
- Bendy and the Ink Machine scores higher on Steam reviews (88.2% positive) than Bendy: Secrets of the Machine (83% positive).
- Bendy: Secrets of the Machine is free; Bendy and the Ink Machine is paid (19.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Bendy: Secrets of the Machine is Deck Verified, Bendy and the Ink Machine is Deck Playable.
Bendy: Secrets of the Machine vs Bendy and the Ink Machine — FAQ
- Which is better, Bendy: Secrets of the Machine or Bendy and the Ink Machine?
- On Steam reviews Bendy and the Ink Machine scores higher (88.2% positive) than Bendy: Secrets of the Machine (83% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Bendy and the Ink Machine is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Bendy: Secrets of the Machine or Bendy and the Ink Machine first?
- If you want chronology, Bendy and the Ink Machine (2017) came out before Bendy: Secrets of the Machine (2024). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Bendy: Secrets of the Machine and Bendy and the Ink Machine similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Is Bendy: Secrets of the Machine free?
- Yes — Bendy: Secrets of the Machine is a free-to-play Steam title. Bendy and the Ink Machine is paid (19.99 USD).