Platform: PC

Developers: Nicalis, Inc. and Edmund McMillen

Publisher: Nicalis, Inc.

Release Date: November 4^th, 2014

Genre: Action/Adventure

Nerd Rating: 9 out of 10

On September 28^th, 2011, a game called The Binding of Isaac was released on Steam for a mere $4.99. Gamers from all over rejoiced and praised the game for its challenging gameplay and disturbing – yet simple – graphics.

Three years later, the developers made a new version of the game. November 4^th, 2014 came along and The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth was released on Steam for $14.99. This new Isaac came with full XBox 360 controller support, tougher enemies, more items, and more disturbing endings than the original.

The Binding of Isaac is about a little boy whose strict and extremely religious mother believes that God had spoken to her. God instructed her to sacrifice Isaac in His name, and she agrees to do it. Now it’s up to you to guide Isaac through the depths of the basement to save himself and eventually kill his mother.

Personally, the Horseman, Famine, scares the shit out of me now more than ever.

LOOK AT IT!!!

Isaac likes to play dress up as several iconic figures from the Bible. Before beginning your game, you are allowed to pick Isaac, the patriarch , Magdalene, the ex prostitute, Cain, the first murderer, Judas, the sellout, Eve, the first sinner, Eden, the garden, Azazel, the scapegoat, and Samson, the strong. You have to play as Isaac first until you unlock the others from previous playthroughs. If you have beaten the game enough times, you are given the option to play as “???” and “The Lost.” “???” is a dead body. His body is blue, indicating that he had died of asphyxiation. “The Lost” is a departed spirit. Doomed to roam the earth forever.

I still haven’t unlocked everyone yet.

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, along with its original, has so many references to the Bible, that I was starting to wonder if I was just playing a really badass retelling of the Bible.

Sure, the game stayed true to the whole single player thing this time around, but the new Isaac gives the option of local co-op. Just plug in another controller, and you get to have another player follow Isaac as a little floating baby with various powers.

Steam has 178 achievements available for this game, about a million different items to grab and mutate you, and 13 Steam trading cards to help keep things interesting. There are tons of things in the game that you can gather, unlock and blow things up with. But let’s be honest. It’s not just because of the collectibles that are obtainable in the game. It’s about revenge against that fucking fly that killed you and made you start all over again!

Nearly every item that Isaac picks up changes him in some way. For instance, if Isaac picks up an item called “Wire Coat Hanger,” the hanger will be pierced through his head and out the other side, with blood trickling down his face! Oh, and your tear firing rate goes up. If he picks up a Ouija Board, he’ll take on a disturbing, spirit-like form and shoot translucent tears that go through things.

Judas, Ouija Board pickup. Before…

… After!

The only things I’m not jumping for joy about in The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is that collectible items appear to you entirely by chance, and winning the game isn’t entirely up to the player’s skill level. Keys, money, and bombs usually appear after you clear a room… by chance. Items that help you on your quest, such as the Halo, Cat-o-Nine Tails, Magic Mushroom, and The Pentagram will only appear in treasure rooms, the shop, or after you defeat the floor boss… by chance. Some collectible items are even bad for you. One such item, that I avoid like the plague, is My Reflection. It’s a cracked mirror that leaves a crescent mark on Isaac’s forehead like Sailor Moon. This makes your projectiles come back to you! Most of the time, this damns you. Especially if you had picked up the Ipecac before My Reflection. Ipecac explodes upon landing. Items can make or break you in this game. The last thing you and Isaac need is a downgrade or getting killed by his own items.

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth has infinite replay value, though. Even after you beat the game six times (This unlocks the achievement “Everything is Terrible!” which increases the game’s difficulty). Hell, I’m still trying to unlock the last three endings for the game! To unlock the final ending, you must defeat Mega Satan.

What other game has MEGA SATAN as the final boss? Huh?!

The original The Binding of Isaac was made from a flash game engine. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is a retelling of the story. Just with improved graphics, tougher (and new) enemies, more items, more challenges in challenge mode, and infinite replay value. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is one game that was remade right.