The Binding of Isaac is a fun game, but at first I was disappointed when I saw the length of the game. But when I dived into the game, I found the same satisfaction of playing, like I did with Demon's Souls on Playstation 3. You will die a lot, but that slow progression, and the satisfaction from defeating a boss for the first time is great.
The soundtrack get's a little repetitive after a while, although it is a short and good soundtrack.
For being a fairly short game, it still has a great system where it lays every new level map randomly + different bosses for each playthrough + all the loot.
Even though the game is depressing in many ways and there is an awful lot of blood and tears, there is a twisted and hilarious sense of humor in the game, and I found myself laughing at different bosses and loot I got.

So all in all this is a fun game, and definitely a must-buy if you are a fan of the roguelike genre, and since it is so dirt cheap I also strongly recommend it for newcomers and computer gamers alike.… Expand

I love this game, it does everything it promises just like I expected it and after following it's development since it was announced, I am not disappointed, If you like the main concept of this game you shouldn't pass it at this price. The unique concept, ambiance and endless re-playability makes this a rare gem, I highly recommend it.

This game is just about perfect. It's priced on its length -- I don't think you can criticize a 3-6 hour time of gameplay with a $5 price tag. This game is definitely not short on content within those few hours, however, and it's never tedious. NPCs are diverse, but never "too" difficult (not that you probably won't die a few times completing the game the first time). Each play-through is different, and each time, you learn new mechanics, new items, and new secrets - which is much the same draw as Nethack. There's never a shortage of novelty - you don't get into a "groove" of hitting the same buttons under the same conditions -- there's NO grinding because after entering one semi-randomly-generated room, the shooting mechanic could dramatically change. The review faulting it for "cartoon gore" and being depressing is a bit obscene. It's so cartoonish and absurd, the idea that you can fault its liberalism with gore compared to the gore in a game as Modern Warfare, where you're shooting at representations of much more lifelike people, is silly. The story is witty, and surprisingly well-done considering how short and non-linear the game is. Most important about this game is its achievement of creating a non-linear roguelike which FLOWS. Everything flows very well -- nothing feels clunky, and having power-ups affect how your character looks (often in ways you wouldn't expect) is a great addition. Addicting, mysterious, and an enjoyable diversion, the game is well-worth the low price tag, and an experience I won't soon be forgetting (something I can't say for the $50+ generic brown FPS games I've played).

I'm deducting a point for the vagina-anus monster, however. That was just wrong on all levels.… Expand

If Edmund McMillen had a time machine and went back to the 80s-90s he'd be the most prized game designer [bold statement I know].... he doesn't just create killer 2D games that make you remember the good ol' days, he creates classic-style games with originality that I've never seen. The way you can feel about a cult movie or punk rock music is what he has infused into his games. His games seems like they were created on Psilocybin.

This game is always mentioned with it's price, and I assume that bolsters a more lenient rating... I find that unfortunate because this game has more personality and "balls" then most games have the funding to allow. The Binding of Isaac will take a few play-throughs to get the gist of how it operates, afterwards you'll find yourself craving more and more. At first I didn't like that you couldn't save, and the idea of a self-generating dungeon didn't sound that cool... until I played this gem. I don't feel that is its selling point, the power-ups are that selling point. Each dungeon has a gold room in which you obtain a power-up... and you'll scramble immediately to find this room to see what hidden treasure awaits. The power-ups are fantastic; for example, you can join a demon cult, have a tag-a-long dead baby (brother or sister), spit pee (instead of tears as you start with) amongst many others that I have yet to discover. Each dungeon and each play will give you something new, and not only that you can couple and stack your power-ups. Power-ups affect your appearance, your ammo, and your special attacks. Some complain about keyboard controls, me being a console-only gamer after about 5 games the control setup became a breeze. Don't let this game pass you up if you grew up appreciating any 2D games. The replay value is the highest I've encountered. Add that it's about religion and how ridiculous that is... well... I'm sold.… Expand

It's like Zelda 1, crossed with super meat boy, its hard to imagine this not being absolutely amazing. I suggest you buy the album version, as the music is epic

Binding of Issac is the perfect game for me, it has that little dash of it's own humor that every game needs to stand on it's own, and I find the story a fun idea to wrestle with. What starts out as a simple top-down "shooter" becomes a quest to unlock and secret your way through various dungeons on a quest for completion. I would recommend this game even if it cost 15$ because it is just so fun.

this game is actually really fun i thought that it was just going to be some crappy internet game but i was surprised about how much stuff is actually in this game. every time you play it is different because the engine randomizes each level. at first it is hard but then you get used to the controls and it gets a lot easier. everybody who is ratting on the game never really gave it a try long enough to get the controls. it's a dark creepy cute and scary game… Expand

This game is absolutely phenomenal! It starts out with a very dour story regarding a fanatical mother who hears the voice of god commanding her to sacrifice her son Isaac, who then flees into the basement to escape her wrath (only to encounter a variety of demonic creatures). After the opening cinema, the player starts the game and is introduced to all of the necessary keyboard commands via a series of cave paintings in the first dungeon room. From there, trial and error will teach you the rest that you need to know. The rouge-like style game consists of a random series of procedurally created dungeon rooms, monsters, secrets, item drops, and treasure chests. The monsters and bosses are hideously gruesome things that display Edmund McMillen's fantastic diabolic art style. There are countless homages to past classics such as The Legend of Zelda and Robotron: 2084, however TBOI's treatment feels very original and fresh this day in age. As a fan of Edmund McMillen and Team Meat, I would have been prepared to pay at least $10.00 for this gem. The fact that it sells on Steam for $5.00 is just icing on the cake! If you are a fan of A) Team Meat, B) Zelda, C) gruesome artwork, D) fiendishly difficult game play, or E) all of the above, you owe it to yourself to give The Binding of Isaac a try. The esoteric messages… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A little game with some really good working dark humor. It's very difficult but that's what makes it lasts for soo long. Very addictive game with a high replay rate.… Expand

This is an excellent game. It's nothing much, but for what it is, it is top notch. A lot of the negative reviewers are A) Hate it because it was developped in part by Edmund McMillan (a creator of Super Meat Boy) or B) don't quite seem to understand that Edmund wasn't TRYING to make a blockbuster game, just a fun, little time waster. Seriously, I've stacked many hours on this game, not because it was some epic, ultra-game, but because it was fun. Take it at face value, people. It's a 5 dollar game made to chew up just a little bit of your time when you're bored, not meant to consume your entire day. Anyways, as for the game itself, it's a roguelike, top-down dungeon crawler that follows Isaac, a young boy escaping his religious mother in a basement full of monsters. You must then try and survive and, ultimately, destroy your mother. The game generates a new set of dungeons and assigns new unlockables each time you play, so your experience will always differ. It is also worth noting that the soundtrack is top-notch, and the soundtrack version should be purchased, especially when it's only 89 cents.… Expand

This game is a great game and I suggest you buy it. it is about 5 dollars and it is amazing. This game was made by team meat and they are known for making hard games. (Super Meat Boy) There are only a few difficulties to me which was like stuff like when you died you did not come back and no saving but that is what made the game difficult and fun. Once you play this it is very addictive and can consume you til you beat it. The randomly generated dungeons give it a new feel every time and the rpg aspect makes you want to keep customizing Isaac but not get to attached to it because you die quite a lot. It has a lot of fun equipment to defeat bosses and enemies so if you get the right items you can beat it easier. this game is definitely worth the 5 dollar price and was really fun.… Expand

This Game Is Amazing.Randomly Generated Rooms,Bosses,Mini-Bosses,And An Incredible Amount Of Items,And Almost The Best Music I've Heard In A Game.An Instant 10/10

This is a brilliant game. Do not listen to the reviewer who claims that a small game like this should not get as high a rating as a full-priced mainstream game. This is ridiculous and incredibly unfair to all ambitious and imaginative independent developers who create games which are so much more than the boring games you can only play on high-end pcs. Of course, you won't get a game like "Rage" for $5. The Binding of Isaac may be a "small" game, but it has an immense replay value and I've already invested more time in it than in the mainstream ego-shooter priced ten times higher.
Also, do not listen to the reviewer who claims that The Binding of Isaac is immature. Despite its simplicity (narrating and gameplay-wise), it vibrates with subtle humour and intelligence that many more complex games aspire to but seldom succeed.… Expand

Excellent game for those who like to immediately get into the action. Interesting learning curve, challenging, replayable, fast paced rouge, Zelda, Robotron mash-up. Worth 5 dollars easily.

As one of the few games I've been able to stomach, in this day of bland AAA games with absolutly no other plus than copying some previously exhausted idea. I loved The Binding of Isaac, although it brings nothing new to the table game wise. It is still enjoyable. The people that have been negative about this probably couldn't get past the 3rd level. Having said that, neither could I.

But it's tough, everytime you think you are upgraded out the ass and are able to **** everything up, you'll find some enemy that kicks you in the balls like the girl you teased in 3rd grade. Even though there's some slight annoyance in not knowing what some items do, that is easily overcome by the nice dark demeanor. After 3 or 4 playthroughs you'll have a good idea of what does what.

For the 5 bucks I payed for it (not even) I have enjoyed this more than Dead Island, which bored me to **** after 4 hours.… Expand

Dead Island only gave me about 8 hours before i was bored. Been playing this none stop ever since it came out. want to see updates, additions and dlc. worth my 5 dollars. Great old school retro classic.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Fantastic little game. Cheap and tons of hours of game play. I like the graphics, the crazy no-holds barred humor and the challenge of doing everything. I play little flash games like this while listening to audio books or youtube all the time, I cannot keep my concentration only listening while doing nothing, I get overly bored. After you beat the game, there is new features, new challenges, new characters, bosses, items, rooms, enemies, bonuses, secrets, and all those new challenges, new characters, bosses, items, rooms, enemies, bonuses, secrets can unlock new challenges, new characters, bosses, items, rooms, enemies, bonuses and secrets.

You get the point. I can copy and paste quite a bit to fulfill my 5000 character obligation, but I won't, cuz I have sum games waiting. Ciao!… Expand

So many people will play this game not knowing the Rogue model of a game and be frustrated by dying to this game and calling it " bad Programming" or " unattainable " But in fact that is exactly what the game is supposed to be. The randomly generated rooms and doors you will pass through are not only what defines this game, but is what will keep you exploring even if you beat the level and have more to explore. absolutely this is at par or above with retro gaming, also making it a " Super Hard mode " like what super meat boy did to the Mario genre. By far for 5 dollars i would have bought the soundtrack alone in this game for how amazing of a job was done on it. absolutely this game will give you over 20+ hours to beat the main line with all the unlockable players, but will give you more than triple than that by beating the game multiple times for new endings. The Binding of Isaac is by far the most fun you will get for $5 and will leave you wishing it cost more.… Expand

A fine game with a lot of replayability in this game. Tons of items to collect. I would recommend buying the DLC: Wraith of Lamb. It extends the game by a lot. The game takes only a bit to master and adjust to the controls. The story can and has been interpreted many different ways. I find it very entertaining.

This game took me by complete surprise. It has been a long time since a game pulled all of the right strings with my like "Isaac" does. The game is very difficult, but not in a way that is frustrating, as even with failed attempts at beating it, one can unlock many types of items, new bosses, and discover other interesting things the developer has placed within the game's dungeons. Each playthrough is different, and at over 35 hours logged in playtime on Steam, I am still finding myself smiling at new items or boss battles that appear for the first time. Do yourself a favor and buy this game. At $5 this game is more than worth it.… Expand

I love this game. It's awesome with a few beers and a partner to turnsies with and to spot collectibles for you on the Isaac wiki (http://bindingofisaac.wikia.com/wiki/The_Binding_of_Isaac_Wiki). Love the music, the loop is not annoying at all. The art design is so flippin cute and evil. Don't take the story to seriously, this isn't a $100 game you've been waiting 5 years to play. It's all about gameplay and style with the binding of isacc. Anyone giving lower than 8 doesn't understand it's purpose.… Expand

I've logged about 22 hours in Binding of Isaac in a little over a week, and I can safely say that not only is this game incredibly fun it's also very addicting. The replay value is endless, and even after having completed it a few times the randomized nature of every game makes it so that it's not boring in the slightest to play through again (plus, new rewards unlocked for each subsequent completion). Highly recommended to anyone interested in this type of game.… Expand

good game. no words.
good game. no words.
good game. no words.
good game. no words.
good game. no words.
good game. no words.
good game. no words.
good game. no words.

Edmund McMillen has done a wonderful job creating The Binding of Isaac as hardcore rogue-like game. Just as Super Meat Boy this game excels in its level of difficulty and with the random generated floors combined with the amount of items you can achieve in the game, every playthrough feels different. BUT... since the game uses algorithms to generate the random dungeons, it can create very challenging floors, which are .. nearly impossible. I hope they patch it, or give you the opportunity to select a certain difficulty.… Expand

What can I say about The Binding Of Isaac.This is by far the best indie game of 2011. Old school NES Fans, you will not be disappointed . This game has a somewhat resemblance to The Legend of Zelda's dungeons. Even Newer gamers will appreciate this addicting, simple yet complex Rogue-Shooter. Coming from the makers of super meat boy, this is a sad comedic gore fest full of surprises. Note that You will die a lot at first but as you keep playing, there are a lot of things to unlock and discover. This game's price value is also a must get for your steam game collection. At 5$ you can't go wrong no matter what. Dungeons filled with disgusting and gory, yet funny and sad enemies, will leave you wanting more and more. I found myself a lot of times putting other games aside to go play this game. I will end this review short and simple. To end this review, I suggest every gamer to go and buy it.… Expand

Game with a nice phase of action and difficulty. Retro like game with RPG and Exploration elements. Can be played for hours and again and again because of the multiple endings, different characters, every time different levels (random generated), different items and different enemies.

I bought this game as it was made by the co-creator of Super Meat Boy, a game I enjoyed a lot, but I wasn't expecting much. 40 hours of gameplay later, here I am, still loving it. This crappy little flash game with abysmal graphics options is so addictive, fun, and difficult that I play it whenever I have any spare time.

The sound is decent, the graphics are pretty bad but have a distinctive style that you don't get bored of, and very fun rogue-like gameplay.… Expand

The Binding of Isaac is nothing short of perfect. Having played Super Meat Boy and loving it i then saw The Binding of Isaac was by one of the same makers so i gave it a chance, at such a low price it was worth the gamble. At first i didn't think it would be that good especially with only having 4 chapters to complete (now 5 after the halloween update) which i thought i would have completed by the end of the day, how wrong i was, each chapter is split into 2 levels and can be easy or very hard depending of how your rooms have randomly generated, because of random generation this game allows for an unending amount of replayability with the same amount of fun if not more each time you play. So many different enemy each being able to show in multiple colours with a different effect for each one, over 100 items to collect that you wont collect in just a few playthroughs, each item when used with other items can lead to amazing or not so good combinations. Bosses that will get you on the edge of your seat not to mention the addition of alternate bosses, mini bosses, the four horseman and Satan. If you don't like this game then i would say it's the genre you don't like, but if you love this genre of game then prepare for days and days (not hours) of endless and rewards gaming.… Expand

I am actually surprised by how good this game is, it did not look that good at the begggining but after a few hours I noticed how great the game is, it is random and fun.

What a weird, wonderful game. Extremely creative - imagination is the main ingredient here; I've logged more hours in this than my recently purchased Arkham City (which is amazing in it's own right) -- but the nature of this game is easy to pick up, hard to put down. The difficulty spikes rapidly, and even though you die a lot there are constant unlocks and madness to be discovered by repeat play. Every so often you'll get the perfect storm of items that will vindicate the often punishing difficulty. Ironically, when I finally beat the game, it was with a mediocre character build - which goes to show that you can never get too comfortable, as my over-powered creations quickly died when I got too ****

Not much can be said that hasn't been said by other users that enjoyed it - it's a zelda-style dungeon (think SNES link to the past) mixed with a 2d shooter, with heavy rogue-like elements (procedurally generated maps, randomized bosses, and a ton of items that drastically switch up the game play, making each game a unique **** of destruction and depravity!) Highly recommend!… Expand

This game is meant to be frustrating/hard/unexplained, because of these this game makes you feel like you achieved something when you do it right. I'm close to 100%ing the game with 44 hours under my belt, it has by far the best game I've bought for $1.50

Fun, but really, really grim. Also somewhat difficult when you first start.

So it's a roguelike in that the dungeons are randomly generated, and typically if you die you have to start over. The game's somewhat short, so not being able to save isn't a big deal.

Now while the game is short, it has a lot of replay value. The more things you do, the more items you unlock so they have a chance of spawning in future playthroughs. Also more monsters, and new characters to play. There's also another two floors that appear after you "win" once, and then another even harder floor after that.

All in all, I don't really have any complaints. I just wish there was more content, since I think I've unlocked most of it. But Steam says I've played for 20 hours, so I think I got my $5 worth.… Expand

This is a game from older generation. There is no saves, no hints, no help. You must remember that gives each piece and how it interacts with others. Plus, it's very random, one game may be simple, the other incredibly difficult. But precisely this is the charm of the game. Challenge the player to deal with all its complexities.
This is very good and captivating game. I will continue to ply it until I collect all items)… Expand

It's pathetic that not many people seem understanding this game very well...well not that I am accusing their intellegent faculty, but The Binding of Issac does have a relatively steep learning curve and understanding curve, a few may be too arrogant to be preched. My experience from nearly 100 times attemps with a K/D ratio of 0.4 tells me the game that the game itself is far more deep and sophisticated than my expectation would be-- Edmund's art and sense of humour did convince me to continuously look into those about the cultural, biblical, anecdotal, satanical references. Its a shame that those who cannot play but also read(observe) beyond the lines are criticizing this game here.
The Binding of Issac does have some programming issues, bugs are reported constantly yet they are fixed allegedly on the day after. They are the only downfall of this game I believe, but I admire the developer's spirit of correcting them, unlike Techland and any other irresponsible producers.
People talked about the inventory management and its mimicry towards Zelda and smashTV etc, I have played every single titles they talked about yet I am feeling the oringinality here, simply because of the depth of the story (which some of them dont get at all), references, and neatly designed "1-life-playthrough" concept; sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you dont, just like Dungeons of Dredmor and authentic "rogue-like" games, yet whoever says the combat and drops is just about mashing keyboards, you are insulting the time and enjoyment I input in this game.… Expand

I'm totally fond off this game. She's dangerously addictive ! Yes, it's very hard. Yes you will die and losse... often.
But it's fun, it's rich, it's various. The music is amazing, the graphisms are lovely horrible.
The game play is fantastic. You learn at each party something on the game, a new item, a new tips, a new mob and his I.A.
Its a real pleasure... and I'm impatient to play it again.

i will start by just saying this game is great. it will definitely be on my top ten list of the year. however when i first got this game i agreed with kazan. i was unclear on basically everything, though i slowly began to understand, but for those of you that enjoy dungeon crawlers this game just works. you start without power ups and slowly find better equipment. this is also an incredibly hard game. it's presentation does not lie, with a difficulty this high it must be a friend of satans.… Expand

This game is amazing. But i will warn you it is not for the faint of heart. This game will punish you for all of your mistakes with death and suffering. However, the satisfaction you will gain from besting a ridiculously hard room or boss will make up for it in full. The games controls are simple. And i would like to point out to other reviews that complain about having to click the mouse to shoot (which is repetitive). The controls at the very beginning of the game tell you to hold down the arrows keys to shoot, which makes things much easier. This game is full of different items, tarot cards, and pills that will keep you guessing on what they are going to do. This game is a challenge at its finest and will keep you on your toes all the way through. I highly recommend this game to any one looking for a challenge or to anyone who is smart enough to not give this game a zero just because they can't read directions.… Expand

fantastic game overall. simple controls, classical gameplay with a legend of Zelda dungeon feel to it. Tons of randomness with the items and characters leads to hours of play for such a small price. truly excellent

This game is amazing. Most of the people complaining probably just sucked at it. At first, I did too, but I was hooked. The story is much deeper than it seems (you need to think about it, especially the 11th ending) and the gameplay itself is wonderful. I do admit that it's frustrating when you find items you'd rather not put up with, but nothing feels better than showing up to the final boss room way overpowered and unlocking new items before starting again.

I have 80 hours put in so far... and for $5 that's not a bad deal at all.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really don't get the low scores for this game. People saying this game is repetitive and has boring gameplay are so wrong. This is a very challenging game, yes, but if you rely on your items, you are surely a very lazy gamer, and one that has missed the entire point of this game. Binding of Isaac is an absolutely amazing game. I was so frustrated with this game when I first played it, and I actually felt like just stop playing it after the first hour or so. But when I first got used to the enemies, bosses and trololol bombs, I really began enjoying it. The bosses are fun and varied, most of the mini-bosses are really entertaining and rewarding. Rewarding is the word for this game. Instead of going with the flow like every other game out there, this game actually rewards you when you should be rewarded. When you complete the game for the first time, you find out that the boss isn't really the real final boss, and you have to fight even harder to complete it. In this game you really feel like you are rewarded for what you do. Over a hundred items are available in this game, and there are a ton of combinations for these. No save points in this game! This ups the game difficulty to a level at which most gamers are not able to cope with. If you are a soft-core gamer, do not play this game. If you are up for a challenge. Thumbs up!… Expand

What can I say? i Love this game... But even if Im not a pro reviewer I must talk about some of the faults this game has... First of all the bad things The Speed stat is really overpowered. to the point sometimes using isaac is like racing in a ice track. The overall design some parts of this game have are really like a free flash game... The "use Joy2key" joke was not really kind. Being a really random game, needs some extra bosses I tired fast of fighting the same boss over and over... Some bosses take a lot to come too... -Not enough bosses to feel random enough.
-The menu looks really unfit
-at fast speed Isaac is too fast to the point he slips too much
-I found some references to internet Memes. And I will say I hated that... The game didn't need that and is just distracting from the main deal.

The last one... The game needs some balance about what can you get in the way to the end. Sometimes you will be so unbuffed because a rock was always blocking the way to a key, you will miss some items. and crucial ones..

Now the good things and there is a lot

-The game really feels retro... Not like Fez (that looks pixelated but I didn't feel it retro) or terraria (the same deal) If you die is game over... You must start again. The game is nintendo Hard and as intense as those games from the 90's.
-The random factor hides too well the fact there is not much content in the game. But that's not a bad thing. That really expands the gameplay.
-The artistic job. I can't really describe this game... Sometimes I laugh hard And sometimes the game just creeps me out (I will not spoil when) I think a game that is capable of do two opposite things to the player IS JUST GREAT.
- The religious references are cleverly put into game.
- The music clearly fits with the levels and the progression... Every theme is more serious and dark than the last. to the point where the 4th area is just really depressing and horrifying compared with the cheesy 1st level music.

I will rate it 8. Mainly because of the unecessary memes that are the only thing that really don't fit with the game.… Expand

The Binding Of Isaac is truly an addictive and fun experience that offers hours of fun. The premise for the game may seem simple but the almost unlimited replay value from random rooms, bosses and enemies keeps to playing for hours. The game also has a random item system that makes every play through different, the recent dlc Wrath Of The Lamb only made this game better!

This game is nothing short of greatness. At first glance I marked it off as a stupid zelda clone but the more I played it the more addicted I became. The visual style is extremely pleasing and while seeming almost cartoony, manages to fit in with the dark humor and creepy setting of the game. Now as for the difficulty, the game is hard when you first start without a doubt. You will die. Often. But as you progress you will unlock better items that can spawn in the various rooms of the game and your skills will grow. Making it to the final boss and beating the game for the first time was one of the most rewarding feelings playing a video game has ever given me due to simply how many attempts it took and the time that was put into it. The music in this game is amazing, and is bound to get stuck in your head for weeks. Over all I loved this game and would recommend it to just about anybody. Cant wait for the new expansion coming out latter this month!… Expand

If you are a fan of Zelda and twisted, black humor, than this is THE game for you. While the game can seem repetitive from a distance, it actually holds an immense amount of replayability. There are dozens of items and many bosses that you won't see on just one play through. In order to see everything that "Isaac" has to offer, you would have to play it at least sixty times due to the game's rogue-like aspect. When you die, you cannot just reload back to the beginning of the level. You have to start over. But that's the beauty of this game. The game's length is balanced perfectly, so that even if you die when you were so close to beating it, you'll still want to start over and not have a care in the world. Sure the game has a lot of biblical references and it doesn't necessarily treat those references with respect, but if you can get past the bucket-loads of poop, tears and blood and actually see the humor in it all, you're good to go. My only problem is that the game suffers from bad fps on some computers. My other computer AND my friend's computer are both high-end pieces of hardware, yet "Isaac" runs terribly. Not sure why this is, but it's still playable (sometimes...) and it's a steal for only five bucks. Thanks for reading, Signed: Culture F.… Expand

This is one of the best games I have ever played. Period. You just go around, shot some tears, kill monsters. Simple as cutting of the ginger's nipple. The game is short, you finish it in about 30-45 minutes and every single time it's different. The game is awesome untill it gives you JEBENE USRANE

I was curious what was the big fuss about this game so I purchased it. When you see the trailer it doesn't promise you much, basically you go through rooms and kill different type of monsters. This is only the surface. As you spend more and more time with Isaac, you start to feel that you are in a very deep game, which continues to surprise you even after 30+ hours. You have to go through dungeons without dying and it's not an easy task. To complete the game you'll need to learn how to deal with the different monsters, how to preserve your resources and you'll also need to make a lot of strategic decisions. If you die, you start over. Luck also plays a heavy role which sometimes can be frustrating. It's possible to go through the game with weak items and powers, but a lot harder than with all the good stuff. So completion is not just the matter of skill in my opinion. I think the art style is great, it's simple but also very appealing if you can appreciate the bizarre and grotesque. It's not for everyone. Some may even feel disgusted. The only downside I can think of, is the time consuming nature of the game. It's hard to put it down if you get the hang of it.… Expand

I really like this game. It hasn't got the best graphics or gameplay, but the atmosphere is epic. It's got a very dark sense of humor and every single enemy and item has some fun aspect about it. Don't let its looks deceive you. Try it, and stick with it for a while even though it's a bit hard at first. You'll find it's a lot of fun... probably. :)

The best deal (prize) i ever made ...i bouth it on steam for 5 euro and already played around 75 hours ! It´s charming and humourous,although the main reason to play this game on a nd on is testing the dozens of different randomly given items amd to chieve every damn achievemt in this game...it´s great...the story is thrown at you in a few sentences,the graphics are nothing phenomenal nor anything like that as you can see in screenshots,and the sound is nothing more than ok...but somehow the gameplay,even if its as simple as pressing for keys for walking,4 keys for shooting in different angles adn space for the use of items it always gets me back playing this game...… Expand

This game is really striking, visually strange, "disgusting" and impressive. The sound effects are very rare, making a spectacular audiovisual setting, including some really good soundtracks. It's very addictive and is one of the games more replay value there (Over 10 endings, items, monsters, powers, and many other things unlockable in each game), adding secrets / accomplishments and updates on the way. It is based in the "Roguelike", ie when they die or leave the game you have to start again, but keep all records obtained things logically. It's really a strange jewel addictive and absolutely worth a try.… Expand

This is a great game, I found the story to be quite amusing and (unlike some others) I realised that it was almost completely satirical and that most of it shouldn't be taken too seriously.
For a game made by just two people this is really great.

Innovative, fun and a great title. This is one of the most addictive games of all the time, and replayable for like infinite times. This is an amazing gem that everybody must have.

Excelente juego indie. Si bien la composición de los niveles hace recordar a los calabozos del Zelda clásico de NES, la temática bíblica conforma una historia con brillo propio, que ha logrado establecer elementos bizarros y escatológicos de una manera muy integrada, sin causar ningún tipo de repudio.

Fun, Hard, MAKES ME WANNA CUT MY BALLS OFF, GOD I LOVE THIS GAME WORTH ALL YOUR MONEYS,

A cheap ,dark zelda styled dungeon crawler mixed with rogue elements with very disturbing themes. Challenging with lots to discover. It can feel a bit unfair in the beginning but you will learn to love it. Lots of replay value, especially with the addon "Wrath of the Lamb"

For fans of very dark humor and who look for a challenge. Not recommended for pious religious people. :p

A surprisingly deep game, once you battle the initial fear of its difficulty. Multiple plays reward you with improved skills and greater variability (including new challenges), and the procedurally designed levels give it randomness that will always make all attempts to succeed interesting. An expansion due May 2012 is expected to give greater depth still. Well worth picking up!

Isaac is a roguelike-like, dolloped in the middle of a delicious Zelda/Smash TV sandwich. Zelda veterans will be met with a pleasantly familiar experience upon starting the game, as the game is predominantly based on it. The game has buckets of charm thanks to Ed McMillen's (Super Meat Boy, Gish) macabre/cutesy/gory art style and a haunting and epic soundtrack courtesy of Danny B (Super Meat Boy, Canabalt). A talented team of yay and most certainly woo. Projectile upgrades, useable powers and character stats (Power, Range, Speed, Luck) are all given through items which are given to you, selected at random. this forces you to play the game differently every time. The game rewards you on your accumulated knowledge, which is bestowed unto you after many upon many a death. You must experiment with items, make risks against stupidly unfair odds and die die die DIE DIE SO SO MUCH. Only after you start to recognize the usefulness or how to use a particular item or overall build, do you start to get better.
...and that's a great feeling!
The beauty of it being a rogue-like-like, is that it's simultaneously a very accessible jump-in game and the biggest time-sink since that last RPG you developed insomnia over.
I have clocked over 100 hours on Isaac, and i'm STILL finding new items I've never seen before and the game in general never stops popping up with little entertaining item combo surprises.
It always feels fresh, there's loads to unlock and explore.
Go buy it!
It's also very cheap! :O
You won't regret it c:… Expand

I'm not entirely sure why, but I find myself wanting to play this game more often than any other in my Steam library. Perhaps it's its fairly short playtime that doesn't require a ton of free time, or maybe it's its cute design and layout, with a different setup each playthrough. It's a deceptively long game that never seems tedious, though it may cause you to "ragequit" occasionally.

bought the game steam sale. The original "Binding" and the DLC "Wrath of the Lamb" for something about 3 bucks. Wow, what a game! I played more then 40 hours. There are still new sides to discover in that game. It's very highly re-playable. It's worth every penny, really.

This game is fun, lots of items that you can get/unlock lots of monsters. It has quite much content. It is damn hard at the start and you will die a lot, but keep trying!

This game is amazing! And for only $5! It starts out hard and a little slow but once you figure out what your doing and really get into it you will have a blast! Theres a bunch of different items and power ups, the bosses are original and have a lot of variety and the graphics aren't perfect but they do the job and they have there own little shine to them. Something that I find interesting about this game is the extreme amount of satanic themes and references. I also love how they took a lot of influence from classic Zelda. Definitely worth the $5. I reccomend this to anyone.… Expand

What do you get when you cross a roguelike with the original Legend of Zelda, and throw in the twisted style of Edmund McMillen? The Binding of Issac is the answer to this bizarre question, the result is a surprising satisfying experience. Each play through of the randomly generated dungeon will include a different combination of rooms, crazy loot and bosses. The game starts out very easy in the early levels, but the difficulty ramps up quickly. The game is pretty short, but new items are unlocked by playing, giving it a lot of replay value. The music is excellent, although McMillen's art style is a bit of an acquired taste. Overall, it's a fun little game for a cheap price.… Expand

Awesome game. It's so addictive I mean it was until I got platinum god and that took like over 80 hours to get that. There are so many different items, every run is different, nice music and yeah. This game can be kinda tough at first but soon you'll learn all the tricks and controls can be hard too at first. Game is luck based but I think that's awesome. Great game overall and it's so cheap.

The most addicting game I've ever played. I can't put this game down. If you see me on my laptop, 9/10 times I'm playing this game. It's so wonderfully dark, creepy, and just plain amusing. For being a flash game, some of these monsters really do scare the hell out of me. The music for this game is absolutely wonderful as well. The replay value of this game is very high, the randomly generated dungeons, items, and monsters are a blast to find. My only complaint is once I find a really nice item that gets me far in the game, after I've died I can almost never find it again. The best part about this game is that it's super cheap, and Steam has sales on it all the time. Sometimes you can get it for under a dollar. This is one of my favorite games there is.… Expand

The game is very well made, has a lot of pop culture references, you can see the inspiration in this game from other games like Legend of Zelda and overall it is very fun.
The game is quite short but it has loads of replay value and it is very challenging.
You have many many many upgrades that change your: Look, strength, speed and there is also a nice selection of characters.
It's almost like a completely new game every time you play.
It's a lot of fun and it's only $4.99.
I personally recommend this game very much.
Also, don't play before dinner.… Expand

Great game I see my self play when listening to some or have no internet but it one of the best game to have a back round on.Plus I pay like because I not 100% in to it but it worth 8$ 5$+3$.And even more if you really like these this.Even if only 50% like it or maybe less buy it.It lots better than most thing and stay at the same level of fun and is long.And to shoot you only need to click one time which is silly thing to bring it down for that much.Even if it was like that the dev listens to people and would fix it.… Expand

For only $9.99 (About 8 euros,) this game is a gem. When Isaac's mother hears the voice of God, telling her to murder her own son, Isaac hides in the basement, bracing the evils and terrors to come...
TBOI is a randomly generated dungeon-crawler with a sense of humor. There's nothing like that adrenaline rushing through your veins when you defeat a boss. That tingling sensation when you come across a treasury. Very few games, especially indie, capture that feeling that TBOI does. As you delve deeper into the basement, the enemies get tougher, and your chances of survival slowly but surely narrow. My only problem is it's difficulty. TBOI is so damn hard, I wanted to throw my laptop at the window sometimes, usually when you're so close to beating it. In short, The Binding of Isaac is a hard-as-hell game that really can't be missed, whether you're a Zelda or Super Meat Boy fan.… Expand

I believe this game is worth every penny I spent on it. It is full of fun. It is not a game for everyone though and can get frustrating for some. Not an easy game for most, but a breeze for others. For me, it was quite difficult at first and I died a ton. The controls were a little odd too but after a while I actually got used to them. You have to have interest in the game to keep playing and that is how you'll get the most of the game. Once again, the game is not for everyone. Playing it the first few times won't do anything for you. The story is open for interpretation and it is a lot deeper than what is shown in the intro (at least that is how I interpret it). The artwork is adorable and that is why I can stand all the blood and cruel designs. The Binding of Isaac helps make those moments where you have nothing to do to go faster. I absolutely love this game and I would definitely (and already do) recommend to my friends. I'm always itching to play another game just to see how far I will get this time and what items I could obtain. Tip: There is a demo, try it first.… Expand

Great game at a $5 price. Cute little animated movies, creepy monsters, awesome power-ups and hours of playing. This is what some people call "rogue-like" which is just where you spawn into a world, try to get as far as you can and if you die; well, you have to start over from the beginning. I'm not that type of player, although I do challenge myself sometimes and play games that are like this. (like on Minecraft/Hardcore mode) Enjoyable game and a moderately-high playback, meaning you'll wanna keep playing this game over and over again.… Expand

Definitely the best Indie game of 2011! At first I couldn't even realize what to do, but eventually I had just stuck to a monitor and tried, and, and tried... Finally I've completed my first time after 45 hours and... 170 attempts. Kinda creepy you think? Way noooo! Desirable design, action gaming, shivering secrets, awesome dialogs, perfect storyline, hidden truth and, finally, beautiful Isaac!

This game is maddeningly addictive. I can play it for a few minuets, or look up bleary eyed from a 4 hours session. Almost 100 hours into the game I am still discovering new things, playing with item combinations, and enjoying myself. Do yourself a favor and give this game a shot.

good game for its value. This is probably one of the indie games that I spent most of the time playing due to its replayability. Everytime I start a new game, I always hope to find a new item. This game's level randomization plus a vast array of item upgrades makes you want to play over and over again.

If you are not offended by the theme of the game and focus on Gameplay, well, this game might be for you.… Expand

Most replay value I've come across in a game in the past 10 years or so. I think this game is seriously underrated, the people giving it a low score clearly haven't progressed to the point that the item combos get incredibly interesting. Whole new play styles emerge past certain points, making it essentially a whole new game just after you think you've finally beat it. Tough game, incredibly rewarding and ultimately the best 5 dollars I've spent in a LONG time. I'd recommend it to anybody, in fact I've purchased 5 copies just to give to friends to ensure nobody misses out on this game.… Expand

Awesome game! This just throws you into the fray and lets you find out everything for yourself and has a lot of dark or funny items and references. Amazing replayability because you never get the same experience. Great game especially for 5$.Completely worth it.

Great game, check it out when on steam specials. It can get repetative, as the no-save system means redoing levels frequently. However, levels are randomly generated, so this keeps things interesting. Definately best with it's expansion. The amount of items is great for such a small game. Well worth it, you could do a lot worse.

People who complain about this game are those who play games like CoD, where "skill" is all that matters. Binding of Issac is not about skill. It's about manning up, taking what the game gives you, and shutting the **** up about it. This isn't a game where you can say "Give me the OP weapon" and expect it to give it to you. This is a game about blind luck. This is a game doesn't hesitate to knock you down and kick you in the balls if you're **** or don't know anything about what you've been given. This is a game where the incompetent, weak, and unlucky and ruthlessly crushed, and only the quick, the adaptive, and the strong survive. And I love it to death for being such a bastard hard game.… Expand

This is a highly difficult, but fun and addictive game. The game is short, but that fits the theme of the game, as there are no saves and you have to restart completely when you die, which happens a lot. Due to the dungeon's random loot and dungeons, your game play is very different each time, and never gets repetitive.

The game presents you with some difficult choices as well. Do you want to spend 2 hearts of health for some mysterious new power to aid you in battle? Do you want to enter the room with a spiked door, which hurts you when you enter or leave? Do you use your last remaining key to enter the shop, which might not even have anything you want, but could have the health you desperately need, or do you save the key to open a treasure room to get an upgrade of some sort? The game isn't just a hack 'n slash game, there's a lot of choices you have to make as well.

The graphics are fine for the style of the game, and the way your character's appearance changes when you get loot is great.

The music gets repetitive, but you can easily just turn the music off and listen to your own music instead, just leaving the sound effects on.

The only downside is that most of the details about the hundreds of different items in the game are not explained very well in-game. I wound up going to the game's wiki to check what the item I just got did very often.

To sum up, its a great game worth buying, just be warned that it is a very, very difficult game.… Collapse

Funny, fast, hard. Hard. Hard. Hard. Funny. Funny. Funny. You'll lose days trying to get Isaac out of the dungeons. Really enjoiable game. Buy it! Now with a cheap dlc!

dont listen to camagun aka micheal shave listen to scott c jones and victor lucas this is game of the year and micheal shaves pin to his debit is ****

I just couldn't get enough. I played it and played it. the pseudo creepy characters were fun but tough. I loved the random mapping and I knew that I could always play through in about an hour. I made just over 100 full trips before the expansion came out. I had to do about 100 to get all the items. But I loved every one and my four year old daughter loved to watch and tell me what to do next, too!

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is one of the best games I've played, and I've played many. The thing that makes this game so awesome is the random elements, one time you could get a knife which freezes enemies and bosses. The second time you could get a item that makes your tears piss and you're going around looking for range up's and the third time you could get touched by a fly and die because you couldn't kill it in time because you're playing as Eve. The games is very luck based but you do actually need to have some skill, like knowing an enemy's patterns so you can successfully dodge it's attacks. Or being able to throw bombs from your face, because of a fetus, and actually hitting fast enemies with them. It's very fun and it's so cheap that your just silly for saying that you wasted your money on it. It's only five dollars.… Expand

I will try to keep this short. This game is so hard, yet so addictive. For it's ABNORMALLY low price, it will keep you entertained for way over 50 HOURS at LEAST. One of the best, if not the best rogue-like shooter I have ever played.

After playing a game like Super Meat Boy, I wondered just how screwed up in the head Edmund was for making such a game that had no right being so amazing. "What could he think of next?" I would ask. The answer I got was disturbing but oh so pleasing, The Binding of Isaac. This game is as creepy and mental as the trailer leads it on to be. You fight demonic entities, decapitated bodies, giant worms, biblical figures, mirror copies yourself (it's complicated), and other abominations throughout the game while keeping a consistent tone for the most part. It can get comical how outrageous this game gets. References, scenes, and power-ups lighten the tone slightly as the game gets weirder and weirder. As you play, you get more characters, more bosses, and even make the game harder. There are lots of endings to spare as well as power-ups to find and unlock. The game evokes a feeling of satisfaction whenever I play it, giving me a great experience. The game is hard however, so you may wanna be careful. If I personally have one complaint, it's the engine. Flash is an engine that, in my opinion, isn't much more complex than the wheel. It's just as primative too. For the most part, the engine behaves, but lag, bugs, and worse can happen without a moment's notice. But I feel all this is fair considering a game that kicks THIS much ass is only $5. I love this game. Go buy it.… Expand

街机闯关风格的迷宫探索游戏，6个关卡因为丰富的随机要素使得次次的游戏体验都会不同。适当的长度，并不刁钻的难度，丰富的搜集要素会令你沉迷好长一段时间。主角丰富的外观变化是个亮点。

buy it now on the humble bundle you won't regret it
(extra characters lololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololol)

I have spent more time on this game than on any of the big blockbuster games on my PC. (Skyrim, Dishonored, Bioshock) And not just time, but quality time. This game has tremendous replay value, and for the negative reviews I've read saying that it's all about keyboard mashing and it's just too frustrating, I should point out that you're playing it wrong. Yes, you have to play for a little bit before you pick it up, but that's not because it's poorly designed and frustrating, it's just very difficult and that's part of what makes it so fun!… Expand

An absolutely brilliant and well-polished game with very nice core mechanics and a fantastic art style. Only problem: THE DIFFICULTY IS FREAKING ABNORMAL. Seriously, I have died so many times that the number of deaths I have equals the number of times I was sent to detention in school, meaning a lot. Psuedo-9.5/10

I'm playing...I'm dead. Damn, have to play once more time...and again, again, again, again.....

This is one unique game, playing like the original zelda but in my opinion far better. This game requires hours upon hours to see everything. It took me 10 hours to beat the game due to it's brutal difficulty. However despite being challenging it rarely feels unfair and whenever you die it's never due to the controls. It does somewhat rely on luck due to you needing some good items to stand a chance on the later floors. The animation is fantastic and genuinely weird. The designs of the monsters are extremely unique and the items all have cool effects. This is a great game to just open up and play for half an hour if your bored or need a break from work. I can see why people don't enjoy this game but for me this is a near perfect game.… Expand

A quite smashing game, i love how creepy it can be at points with all of the satanic influence throughout it. i thoroughly enjoyed wasting countless hours on this game when i should've been doing my work

The game is cheap at about $5 and it always seems to stay interesting when you find a new item or enter the next room. Though it does tend to get boring after awhile, but you will at least need to spend a good 32 hours before it gets boring. And I can't help coming back and playing it again time to time.

Great fun, lots of items and replayability, Randomly generated rooms,nice musics,good variety of monsters,cheap DLC with good amount of new content And the best thing, it is cheap for that good indie game. Solid 9.

The binding of Isaac is an awesome indie-game! I love it, that you have to play the game again and again to get better items and stuff, but also fight stronger bosses and mobs. To beat the final boss in the dlc wrath of the lamb and to get all the achievements you need to be very patient, you need a lot of luck and also skill! This is actually what an indie game should be!

Just epic and stupid at the same time. Creator is a genius! Never gets boring (I don't even understand why but it's a fact) and you can easily surpass the 50-100 h of gameplay.

Personally, I am a huge fan of Edmund McMillen’s work. I’ve enjoyed all of the games I’ve played that he has produced/developed, but The Binding of Isaac is by far my favorite one. His interesting art style, paired with Danny Baranowsky’s amazing musical talent make this a this game a wonderful piece of art.

The game starts up with a background story cutscene before the title screen, wireen, with the ability to skip past it. However, if you have not seen the cutscene, I highly advise that you do so. It gives a humorous take on the story of Abraham being ordered to kill his son Isaac in the bible. Isaac’s mother, a christian fundamentalist gets orders from God to purify her son and she does so by taking all of his belongings away to remove any chance of him sinning, but God is not pleased with that so she must kill him. However, Isaac escapes into a trap door in his bedroom that leads into the basement. This is where the game begins. The keys W,S,A and D are used to move the character and the arrow keys (or clicking the mouse) are used to shoot tears from your eyes at your enemies. You go around defeating these mutant creatures, like headless bodies that leap, floating heads that spit blood at you, maggots that charge at you, flies, spiders, and much more. The game is designed to get progressively harder as you get farther along, but this isn’t always the case. Occasionally you will run across a tough boss (such as Widow) on the first or second depth and you have a hard time winning (although this may be different for each player as the game is generally skill based). The enemies are mostly just annoying instead of difficult, and the bosses aren’t balanced very well. These aspects don’t detract from how addicting and fun this game is. It will piss you off from a cheap death, but you’ll just play again because it is just that good. When it comes to death, you will restart from the beginning no matter how far into the game you are which makes this game so difficult to beat, but that’s the point. You can die one thousand times and, unlike most games, you will have a different experience each time you play. The game is procedurally generated which means each level is generated at random every time. This gives the game its replayability. Every time you play, you get a different map layout and different items. Some times, you may get an item you’ve never seen, other times you’ll get one you’ve found plenty of times. With so many items in the game, you’ll play it with a different style each time. The way the items work is pretty cool too, the collectible items stack so you keep the abilities of the items you get until you die, then there are the activated items.You may only carry one activated item at a time, and after each use, you have to charge the item again by beating rooms. Then there are the pills and tarot cards which may only be used once after picked up. These items aren’t always helpful, and the pill effects change every time you play, so if you get a blue pill one time and it’s a health up, the next time you play, that blue pill might be something harmful like health down. There are also trinket items which work like the collectible items, but you may only have one at a time like the activated items. With all of the items, most of which give a cosmetic change to the character, by the end of the game you will have a up looking mutant baby, but you will be powerful. Even with your stats maxed out, though, the later levels are still very tough. After you beat Mom, you go into her womb and eventually fight her heart. Now that’s pretty up, but hey, it’s a game so who really cares? After beating Mom’s heart, you go to either the Sheol, or the Cathedral where you fight either Satan, or Isaac (respectively). That’s right, you can end up fighting yourself. The game is pretty up and weird, but that just makes it more interesting. Now personally, that’s about as far as I ever got, but I know there is still another level (the Chest). From what I read, the Chest is only accessible by taking the Polaroid trinket to the final boss room in the Cathedral and beating Issac. The Chest is filled with bosses and the final boss is and fights similar to Isaac.

So all in all, the game is brutal, but very very fun, and very addicting. I recommend it to anyone who wants a good challenge that they can play over and over.… Expand

tl:dr You can aim with your mouse

It seems a lot of people are complaining about bad controls. The only reason they are bad with the controls is their own ignorance. If they played the game for more than 10 seconds they could of figured out that YOU CAN AIM WITH YOUR MOUSE. Literally the exact same controls for almost every PC game ever. WASD, aim with mouse. Pretty standard stuff. Some people have also been saying that "it's a keyboard mashing game." It's as much keyboard mashy as any other game. The only time you have to spam click is with the Chocolate milk item to get your full fire rate. Besides that, you can HOLD DOWN your mouse to fire at full speed. Like I said, pretty standard stuff here.It seems the other problems people were having all had to do with difficulty and interest, which are all very understandable, however, if you put just a little more effort into it, (and use your mouse to aim) it won't be so terribly difficult, and the farther you get, the more interesting and engaging it becomes. Others have complained about how there is no strategy. Sure, on the first to levels. After that you have to deal with patterns and dodging, strafing, circle strafing, arcade farming etc. There are also different characters you can chose from. Anyways, with all that out of the way, I think the game is great, ad get the DLC it's awesome too. Sorry if it's long.… Expand

I bought this game on sale on Steam for $3, as well as the DLC for 2$ for a total of 5$ (you don't say). All i have to say is, best 5$ i ever spent. I have over 150 hours logged in The Binding of Isaac and I'm still FAR from completing the game and getting every achievement. Despite being a very unforgiving rogue-like game, it's just so smooth, fun, and with near perfect controls, every time i died, it wasn't because the game had bad controls or unfair mechanics. It was my fault for my deaths, and when I finally beat the the final boss(es), it was one of the most rewarding things I have experienced.… Expand

Binding of Isaac is a great game that you'll never get bored of and never have the same run twice! It looks simple but plays allot more complex. The Art style and Story is what you expect from Edmund McMillen, Creepy but simply amazing. Like Super Meat boy, this game is quite difficult for inexperienced players and may make you rage allot due to dying and restarting the game from the beginning.

I have a load of games on my PC, but The Binding of Isaac is at the top for most time played. This game is really enjoyable and makes the player really want to finish the game! You can pick up this game on Steam for a couple of pounds and highly recommend picking it up.… Expand