I've played The Binding of Isaac for quite some time and would argue against the view that the story does not support the gameplay. It's a rogue-like game and the story elements are developed on multiple playthroughs.
The game is riddled with religious imagery and as you play the items and enemies you encounter take on more of a significance as you start to see where they may fit within the wider story. You may even start to see why the story is presented in a crayon style.
It's not for everyone but it should not be dismissed so easily. A great deal of thought has gone into this game as can be seen from the creator's blog. The gameplay is at heart a Smash TV / Robotron shooter in a Zelda dungeon with roguelike elements. It's not a puzzler nor does it pretend to be. It is a game of exploration, discovery, risk and reward.
As for looking for sales for its controversy, that's not accurate. In contrast to Super Meat Boy The Binding of Isaac had a relatively low key release not because of its subject matter but more because gameplay wise it was seen as a very niche title with limited appeal.
Great game. It does get difficult but I've yet to find a course that has completely foxed me. The courses I've done so far I've found that the ghost isn't always perfect and if they are then there is a shortcut to be found! Careful use of acceleration and reverse is key too. Mashing accelerate doesn't get you very far in this game.
@Ristar42. I complained to NoE (via CodeStorm) about their mislabelling of MUSHA and they have removed the offending line about playing in 60Hz. They should have also amended the listing for Pulseman and Puyo Puyo 2.
I care. I care a lot. This along with 'Winter' this was on my most wanted list of vapourware. I'm a sucker for atmospheric psychological horror and this ticks all the boxes.
Hah! You get bonus points. I've been here a while (mainly posting about Silent Hill and WiiWare) but for some reason I can no longer access Nintendo Life from work so my time here is limited.
"The movie on which it’s based, for those of you that care, is in turn inspired by a children’s fantasy novel penned by Philip Pullman; it’s the usual hokum that we’ve slowly grown accustomed to over the past few years - although to be honest after the excesses of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter we’re growing a little tired of this kind of caper. "
If you'd even read an overview of The Dark Materials trilogy you would know that this sort of statement is wildly off the mark.
The game itself is no classic but it doesn't deserve the demolition job it has received here and elsewhere. For a rush job there is a lot of it, taking you to locations and events not featured in the books. It even has film footage that didn't appear in the released movie!
It's an okay adventure game. It has its faults but once you look past that it can actually be a reasonably compelling experience wiith a decent amount of variety in gameplay.
4 stars? Heresy. I loved this game. Whilst it lacked the polish of the MD version it made up for it in great level design and some nasty sequences like Sky Base Zone. It didn't have the speed of the MD games but then it didn't have that awful pillar to post feel either.
Comments 13
Re: VVVVVV Flip Fix Submitted to Nintendo
I've played The Binding of Isaac for quite some time and would argue against the view that the story does not support the gameplay. It's a rogue-like game and the story elements are developed on multiple playthroughs.
The game is riddled with religious imagery and as you play the items and enemies you encounter take on more of a significance as you start to see where they may fit within the wider story. You may even start to see why the story is presented in a crayon style.
It's not for everyone but it should not be dismissed so easily. A great deal of thought has gone into this game as can be seen from the creator's blog. The gameplay is at heart a Smash TV / Robotron shooter in a Zelda dungeon with roguelike elements. It's not a puzzler nor does it pretend to be. It is a game of exploration, discovery, risk and reward.
As for looking for sales for its controversy, that's not accurate. In contrast to Super Meat Boy The Binding of Isaac had a relatively low key release not because of its subject matter but more because gameplay wise it was seen as a very niche title with limited appeal.
Re: Review: MotoHeroz (WiiWare)
Great game. It does get difficult but I've yet to find a course that has completely foxed me. The courses I've done so far I've found that the ghost isn't always perfect and if they are then there is a shortcut to be found! Careful use of acceleration and reverse is key too. Mashing accelerate doesn't get you very far in this game.
Re: Nintendo Download - 10th December 2010 (Europe)
@Ristar42. I complained to NoE (via CodeStorm) about their mislabelling of MUSHA and they have removed the offending line about playing in 60Hz. They should have also amended the listing for Pulseman and Puyo Puyo 2.
Re: Rumour: Sadness Still in Development With Update by the End of the Year
I care. I care a lot. This along with 'Winter' this was on my most wanted list of vapourware. I'm a sucker for atmospheric psychological horror and this ticks all the boxes.
Re: Monsteca Corral Competition Winners
@Chicken Brutus
Hah! You get bonus points. I've been here a while (mainly posting about Silent Hill and WiiWare) but for some reason I can no longer access Nintendo Life from work so my time here is limited.
@LuWiiGi yes, yes you do.
Re: Insanity Grips the DS in Upcoming Shutter Island Game
"I'm a US marshal, this is definitely NOT an elaborate delusion!"
Oi! Spoilers!
Re: Review: Soul of Darkness (DSiWare)
I have this on my mobile and it's a fun game that's worth playing.
Re: Review: The Golden Compass (Wii)
This is a harsh and poorly researched review.
"The movie on which it’s based, for those of you that care, is in turn inspired by a children’s fantasy novel penned by Philip Pullman; it’s the usual hokum that we’ve slowly grown accustomed to over the past few years - although to be honest after the excesses of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter we’re growing a little tired of this kind of caper. "
If you'd even read an overview of The Dark Materials trilogy you would know that this sort of statement is wildly off the mark.
The game itself is no classic but it doesn't deserve the demolition job it has received here and elsewhere. For a rush job there is a lot of it, taking you to locations and events not featured in the books. It even has film footage that didn't appear in the released movie!
It's an okay adventure game. It has its faults but once you look past that it can actually be a reasonably compelling experience wiith a decent amount of variety in gameplay.
Re: Cosmonaut Take The Plunge With "Dive"
The screenshots look like Ecco the Dolphin.
Seems interesting though.
Re: Review: Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 5 (WiiWare)
I agree with brooks83. A major problem with these games on WiiWare is the often appalling framerate and audio issues.
Re: Sonic the Hedgehog
4 stars? Heresy. I loved this game. Whilst it lacked the polish of the MD version it made up for it in great level design and some nasty sequences like Sky Base Zone. It didn't have the speed of the MD games but then it didn't have that awful pillar to post feel either.
Re: Sonic the Hedgehog
I loved this game, the GG version was uglier and slower in comparison. The penultimate stage is evil if you don't use the shortcut.
Re: Review: Pirates - The Key of Dreams (WiiWare)
Pity, I had high hopes for this one.