The Binding of Isaac

You know what else is pretty sweet? Chocolate milk (charge) plus laser eye. Does piercing damage, and you can easily zap those masked guys that you'd have sidestep otherwise. Obviously, once I had the laser eyes, the frickin' item generator made sure that I got 2 or 3 range upgrades--useless because the laser already has maximum range!--after the following boss fights instead of HP upgrades or other useful pieces.

@imbiginjapan Good call, indeed.

For any non-bible-readers who want some context here, i'd point you here:

http://www.montereychurch.org/sermon...

June 16, 2011 "Bound for Freedom"

In it she goes deep (either words or audio) about why this is one of the most difficult and perhaps important passages in scripture. So even if you're an atheist, consider it the "Lore" being played with here.

I think the latest update did something weird. It cleared out all of my collection, but not my secrets, still displays all my deaths but not my one win (sniff), has all of my unlocks still unlocked, still lets me view the epilogue, and for some reason it set my keyboard to left-handed azerty.

Dunno what's up with that.

Sadly, the update made it so I don't get unlocks. They show up in game, but not in steam.

Getting the epilogue doesn't count as a "Mom kill". There's a new "controls" part to the options menu that lets you switch between qwerty and azerty, and lefty mode. Dunno about the lost item collection though.

You may want to check Steam forums for a solution about not getting Steam achievements, but I think there'll be another patch for that. It doesn't matter if you don't get the Steam achievements right away, the game checks which ones you have when it launches and tells Steam to award them if it can.

rabbit wrote:

For any non-bible-readers who want some context here, i'd point you here:

http://www.montereychurch.org/sermon...

June 16, 2011 "Bound for Freedom"

In it she goes deep (either words or audio) about why this is one of the most difficult and perhaps important passages in scripture. So even if you're an atheist, consider it the "Lore" being played with here.

Thanks for linking to that Rabbit. I hope to hear your thoughts on this game in the Conference Call, it seems right up your alley. I have no idea if you like it or hate it, but I bet you have some opinions about it.

Latrine wrote:

It took me about 50 runs to finally get the first ending.

Wow, I finally cleared the first ending, and it was literally my 50th run.

Great tips about the [color=white]secret rooms and destructible machines/beggars/hustlers[/color], really helped me get all the loot I needed to finish the run.

Redwing wrote:
rabbit wrote:

For any non-bible-readers who want some context here, i'd point you here:

http://www.montereychurch.org/sermon...

June 16, 2011 "Bound for Freedom"

In it she goes deep (either words or audio) about why this is one of the most difficult and perhaps important passages in scripture. So even if you're an atheist, consider it the "Lore" being played with here.

Thanks for linking to that Rabbit. I hope to hear your thoughts on this game in the Conference Call, it seems right up your alley. I have no idea if you like it or hate it, but I bet you have some opinions about it.

This is one I'm looking forward to talking about, too.

The story is also the focal point for Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling.

Spoiler:

Got the first ending after about 5 hours play in total, had a Death card when entering the room with Mom, it takes off about two-thirds of her health. Also, Chocolate Milk ftw!

Immediately cleared the full levels with Maggy - the Yum Heart is very useful, combined with Charm of the Vampire I was packed with health.

Protips:

-For me extra speed is only useful up to a point, then it becomes difficult to dodge spikes etc.
-Monstro 2 was difficult for me to beat until I discovered the super-cheap method of standing just above where his vomit attack would hit you. You can hit him with impunity whilst he vomits continuously.
-It is possible to stand partially behind blocks whilst still being able to shoot past them.

Chocolate Milk + Laser Eye = Matricide.

wordsmythe wrote:

The story is also the focal point for Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling.

Good god, it's not fair I only hang out with you twice a year.

rabbit wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

The story is also the focal point for Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling.

Good god, it's not fair I only hang out with you twice a year.

Get a room, you two.

Spoiler:

Using The Bible during both Mom fights: Good times.

rabbit wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

The story is also the focal point for Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling.

Good god, it's not fair I only hang out with you twice a year.

The day will come.

necroyeti wrote:
rabbit wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

The story is also the focal point for Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling.

Good god, it's not fair I only hang out with you twice a year.

Get a room, you two.

Yes, get a room... and despair! (That's a Kierkegaard joke.)

We will work out our friendship in fear and trembling.

Anyway, bought this last night, but didn't get to playing it (beat Atom Zombie Smasher instead). I'm wondering if it can play well enough on my netbook.

wordsmythe wrote:

We will work out our friendship in fear and trembling.

Anyway, bought this last night, but didn't get to playing it (beat Atom Zombie Smasher instead). I'm wondering if it can play well enough on my netbook.

It has a level of detail setting, not sure exactly how much difference it would make though.

I really, really doubt it'll run well on your netbook, Wordy - regardless of the detail setting. The performance is just that bad.

Got a 'chubby buddy' today for the first time! Works like a small piercing missile. So great.

Spunior wrote:

Got a 'chubby buddy' today for the first time! Works like a small piercing missile. So great.

YEAH it does.

Is there no way to save? I don't think I have enough free time at a stretch to play all the way through.

Nope. No checkpoints, no saves, no lives (unless you get one of the items that gives you lives, and then there are lives).

An average full run is only an hour. If you don't explore every room I imagine you can do it in less.

I can't stop playing it!

Sephirotic wrote:

I can't stop playing it!

44 hours according to Steam in my case. Good lord. And I'm still getting new items here and there.

Latrine wrote:

An average full run is only an hour. If you don't explore every room I imagine you can do it in less.

I get the feeling that if you don't explore every room you can do it in far less, because you'll die pretty quick.

Latrine wrote:

An average full run is only an hour. If you don't explore every room I imagine you can do it in less.

Unfortunately, I tend to play in about 30-minute chunks.

If you're reading this thread, you probably already own the game. If not: There's a 2-level demo that can be played right in your browser.

EDIT: Ah, Latrine was faster. Well, then let me add:

Second i'd like to officially announce that The Binding of Isaac will be getting a very large (and free) content update via Steam this Halloween. The update will consist of 20+ new items, 3 new bosses, 1 new playable character, a few more achievements and a new "final chapter" for the people out there who have "finished" the game. This final chapter should be a much bigger challenge.

And via Twitter:

The new character we will be introducing with the update is called Eve, shes a shape shifter who comes with small dead bird by her side :)
wordsmythe wrote:
Latrine wrote:

An average full run is only an hour. If you don't explore every room I imagine you can do it in less.

Unfortunately, I tend to play in about 30-minute chunks.

Most of my runs I die inside 15 minutes

Also, this game is incredibly addictive.