Summary
Edmund McMillen’sThe Binding of Isaac, released in 2011, left an indelible mark on the games industry. It played a major role in popularizing the roguelike genre and is one of the earliestexamples of a breakout indie hit. With indie roguelikes being ubiquitous today, it might be the perfect time for McMillen to hammer down on a follow-up to his 2011 masterpiece.
The Binding of Isaacwasn’t the first roguelike—not by about three decades—but it is among the most influential, helping define the genre in the modern age. The way thatThe Binding of Isaachandles mechanics like combat and player movement is far removed from the gameplay formula of ‘traditional’ roguelikes, but the game still retains core genre staples like permadeath and random generation. This makes it a fast-paced action game with fundamental roguelike elements, which is a broad-strokes design philosophy that has been carried over to countless games, both big and small, sinceIsaac’s release.
There’s some debate regarding the “roguelike” label forThe Binding of Isaac. For example, some players argue that turn-based combat is a requirement of a roguelike game, and thus defineIsaacas a “roguelite,” as it borrows elements from games like 1980’sRogue, rather than adopting the entire gameplay framework outright.
The World of Gaming Needs Binding of Isaac 2
Roguelikes Are Bigger Than Ever
WhetherThe Binding of Isaacis the best action roguelikeis a matter of preference, but its influence is undeniable. Items, progression, map layout, secrets, and side content ofThe Binding of Isaachave gone a long way toward shaping the roguelike genre in the modern era, and some of the most well-received indie games of the past few years would likely have never existed if not forIsaac. Some of the most notableIsaac-influenced games include:
Setting aside games that weredirectly inspired byThe Binding of Isaac, roguelikes and roguelites likeSlay the Spire,Risk of Rain 2, andReturnalprove that there’s major demand for different types of games with procedural generation, permadeath, random upgrades, and other roguelike trappings. Moreover, these games prove that there is plenty of room for the roguelike genre to grow, as they all innovate and expand on their foundations in interesting and meaningful ways.
The Binding of Isaac 2 Could Be the IP’s Triumphant Return
The Binding of Isaac: Repentancenotwithstanding, there hasn’t been a proper follow-up to the originalIsaacgame from 2011, but that doesn’t mean that it will never happen.
McMillen himself went on record in 2018 expressing his desire to make a fullThe Binding of Isaacsequel. It’s been six years since those comments from McMillen, so it’s not unreasonable to think that the developer has started to get the ball rolling on the sequel. It might still be a few years out, but today’s gaming climate would likely be extremely receptive to the next full chapter ofThe Binding of Isaac, especially if it engages in some symbiosis with the games that it inspired, ultimately becoming an ambitious, wholly new gaming experience.
The Binding of Isaacmanages to stay relevant13 years after its release, with time doing little to dull its influence on the games industry. Even with incredible games likeHadesandDead Cellslaunching in its wake,Isaacis still widely considered to be the best action roguelike out there, which speaks volumes about its quality. If McMillen wants to leave the IP untouched, then that’s fine, but if he has some grander designs for it, thenThe Binding of Isaac2could serve as a reminder of how to do a roguelike right, directly competing with titles inspired by its predecessor.
The Binding of Isaac
WHERE TO PLAY
When Isaac’s mother starts hearing the voice of God demanding a sacrifice be made to prove her faith, Isaac escapes into the basement facing droves of deranged enemies, lost brothers and sisters, his fears, and eventually his mother.The Binding of Isaac is a randomly generated action RPG shooter with heavy Rogue-like elements. Following Isaac on his journey players will find bizarre treasures that change Isaac’s form giving him super human abilities and enabling him to fight off droves of mysterious creatures, discover secrets and fight his way to safety.
