The Binding of Isaac

The Binding of Isaac is a randomly generated action RPG shooter with heavy roguelike elements. As you follow Isaac’s journey, you’ll find bizarre treasures that transform his body, grant superhuman abilities, and help him battle hordes of mysterious creatures—while uncovering secrets and fighting your way to safety.

The Binding of Isaac is loosely inspired by the biblical story of the same name. Isaac lives with his mother in a small house on a hill, keeping to themselves—Isaac draws pictures and plays with toys while his mother watches Christian broadcasts on television. One day, Isaac’s mother hears “a voice from above” claiming her son is corrupted by sin and must be saved. It demands she remove everything evil from Isaac, and she complies by taking away his toys, drawings, and even his clothes. The voice speaks again, insisting Isaac must be cut off from all evil in the world. His mother obeys and locks Isaac in his room. The voice returns a third time: it says she has done well, but questions her devotion and demands she sacrifice her son. She agrees, takes a butcher’s knife from the kitchen, and walks toward Isaac’s room. Watching through a large crack in the door, Isaac panics, discovers a trapdoor hidden under his rug, and jumps in just before his mother opens the door. He then hangs the paper he was drawing on the wall, which becomes the title screen. At the game’s loading points, Isaac is shown curled into a ball and crying, with visible thoughts that range from rejection by his mother and humiliation by his peers to a scenario involving his own death. The game includes 13 endings, with one unlocked after each major boss fight.