My name is Robert and I have a Binding of Isaac problem. Like some people might latch onto a Facebook game like Candy Crush Saga, I have become hooked on The Binding of Isaac. The roguelike adventure/horror game hits my tastes just right and refuses to let go.

Isaac is a six year old child trapped in a nightmare. His mother is a very religious woman who begins to hear the voice of God. His first message is to save her son from the corrupting influence of the world, resulting in all of Isaac’s belongings being destroyed. His second message is to save her son from all outside influences, resulting in Isaac being locked in his room. His third message calls on Isaac’s mother to prove her devotion to him above all else by sacrificing her son. Before God can pardon Isaac’s mom from the task as he did with the Abraham and his son Isaac in the Old Testament, the test is stopped by Isaac jumping in a trap door leading to a monster filled basement.

The game randomly generates a new map with each level of the basement. Three rooms–a boss battle, a golden room with a guaranteed upgrade, and a shop with ever-changing prices for a small pool of items–appear on every level. Otherwise, it’s a free for all. I’ve had it happen where I’ve fought the same combination of monsters and room layout four, five, even six times in a row before reaching a boss battle. Other times, rooms will never repeat for several playthroughs in a row.

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