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->''"[[{{Understatement}} There's something sinister about this title...]]"''
->- '''[[TheCynicalBrit TotalBiscuit]]'''
->- '''[[TheCynicalBrit TotalBiscuit]]'''
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This is too much text, and there is already a Difficult But Awesome trope in this list. Abbreviate it a bit and put it there.
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* AwesomeButDifficult: Dr. Fetus. You launch bombs rather than tears. These take after the rest of your bomb upgrades, as well as a few tear stats. Very YMMV, as there are both pros and cons to it, and very major ones, but once learned you can overcome most difficulties with skill. A pure Dr. Fetus can kill any enemy if you know how to shoot, but depending on your upgrades it can tilt to either "AwesomeYetPractical" Because you have giant homing bombs, making it that much easier, or "AwesomeYetImpractical" because you may still be stuck with normal bombs, shooting much slower with no reward for the slowdown, and it can become literally unbeatable because of some enemies. This weapon is very much on the razors edge of the Awesome tropes, because your luck, or bad decisions, could tilt it to either side.
** For the practical side: With the bobby bomb and mr. mega upgrades this weapon has so few drawbacks it's amazing. Bombs move to enemies, and block their path if shot from the front, and deals more damage than normal tears could ever dream of. With Ouija board it becomes better, as it will go through anything, still homing on enemies, meaning that you don't have to worry about aiming. Plus, unlimited bombs. Also, if you combine with technology, you shot the beam and bomb. Giving you a regular shot as well as bomb.
** For Impractical: It's natural difficulties are how hard it is to hit flying enemies, and you risk constantly blowing yourself up, never good. some upgrades, like third eye, just make everything much, much worse, and an Ouija board without bobby bomb is just a pain to do, because you have to hit a creature to make it stop, otherwise you have to hope your timing is good. This makes it one of the hardest items in the game to play with, and if you have the wrong powerups it becomes hell to beat the game.
** For the practical side: With the bobby bomb and mr. mega upgrades this weapon has so few drawbacks it's amazing. Bombs move to enemies, and block their path if shot from the front, and deals more damage than normal tears could ever dream of. With Ouija board it becomes better, as it will go through anything, still homing on enemies, meaning that you don't have to worry about aiming. Plus, unlimited bombs. Also, if you combine with technology, you shot the beam and bomb. Giving you a regular shot as well as bomb.
** For Impractical: It's natural difficulties are how hard it is to hit flying enemies, and you risk constantly blowing yourself up, never good. some upgrades, like third eye, just make everything much, much worse, and an Ouija board without bobby bomb is just a pain to do, because you have to hit a creature to make it stop, otherwise you have to hope your timing is good. This makes it one of the hardest items in the game to play with, and if you have the wrong powerups it becomes hell to beat the game.
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** The Wrath boss is basically {{Bomberman}}.
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** The Wrath boss is basically {{Bomberman}}.VideoGame/{{Bomberman}}.
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* AwesomeButDifficult: Dr. Fetus. You launch bombs rather than tears. These take after the rest of your bomb upgrades, as well as a few tear stats. Very YMMV, as there are both pros and cons to it, and very major ones, but once learned you can overcome most difficulties with skill. A pure Dr. Fetus can kill any enemy if you know how to shoot, but depending on your upgrades it can tilt to either "AwesomeYetPractical" Because you have giant homing bombs, making it that much easier, or "AwesomeYetImpractical" because you may still be stuck with normal bombs, shooting much slower with no reward for the slowdown, and it can become literally unbeatable because of some enemies. This weapon is very much on the razors edge of the Awesome tropes, because your luck, or bad decisions, could tilt it to either side.
** For the practical side: With the bobby bomb and mr. mega upgrades this weapon has so few drawbacks it's amazing. Bombs move to enemies, and block their path if shot from the front, and deals more damage than normal tears could ever dream of. With Ouija board it becomes better, as it will go through anything, still homing on enemies, meaning that you don't have to worry about aiming. Plus, unlimited bombs. Also, if you combine with technology, you shot the beam and bomb. Giving you a regular shot as well as bomb.
** For Impractical: It's natural difficulties are how hard it is to hit flying enemies, and you risk constantly blowing yourself up, never good. some upgrades, like third eye, just make everything much, much worse, and an Ouija board without bobby bomb is just a pain to do, because you have to hit a creature to make it stop, otherwise you have to hope your timing is good. This makes it one of the hardest items in the game to play with, and if you have the wrong powerups it becomes hell to beat the game.
** For the practical side: With the bobby bomb and mr. mega upgrades this weapon has so few drawbacks it's amazing. Bombs move to enemies, and block their path if shot from the front, and deals more damage than normal tears could ever dream of. With Ouija board it becomes better, as it will go through anything, still homing on enemies, meaning that you don't have to worry about aiming. Plus, unlimited bombs. Also, if you combine with technology, you shot the beam and bomb. Giving you a regular shot as well as bomb.
** For Impractical: It's natural difficulties are how hard it is to hit flying enemies, and you risk constantly blowing yourself up, never good. some upgrades, like third eye, just make everything much, much worse, and an Ouija board without bobby bomb is just a pain to do, because you have to hit a creature to make it stop, otherwise you have to hope your timing is good. This makes it one of the hardest items in the game to play with, and if you have the wrong powerups it becomes hell to beat the game.
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** [[spoiler:The Dr. Fetus item is probably a better example. It makes you fire bombs at a slow rate of fire instead of tears. You'll never have a lack of bombs ever, it kills most bosses in seconds (save for splitters and Gundy), and almost every enemy dies in a single hit, but has some distinct flaws: Bombs will also damage you if you're too close, can get moved by some familiars, and are really hard to use against targets chasing you.]]
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[[caption-width-right:350:[[ItGotWorse IT.]] [[UpToEleven GETS.]] [[BeyondTheImpossible WORSE.]]]]
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[[caption-width-right:350:[[ItGotWorse IT.]] [[UpToEleven GETS.]] [[BeyondTheImpossible WORSE.]]]]
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** {{Gish}} appears as both a common enemy and a boss, a Host (from a multiplayer Flash game of the same name) makes an appearance as an enemy, and the walls of the Arcade are lined with posters of other [=McMillen=] games (like ''TimeFcuk'').
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** {{Gish}} appears as both a common enemy and a boss, Larry Jr. is a smaller version of [[SuperMeatBoy Larrie's Lament]], a Host (from a multiplayer Flash game of the same name) makes an appearance as an enemy, and the walls of the Arcade are lined with posters of other [=McMillen=] games (like ''TimeFcuk'').
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[[AC:This game provides examples of]]:
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* OneUp: There is an item which gives an extra life without drawbacks.
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Renamed. Alphabetizing.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: At the start, Isaac attacks using his tears. He can use various other weapons such as blood, chocolate milk, and urine, to name a few.
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* ImprobableWeaponUser: At the start, Isaac attacks using his tears. He can use various other weapons such as blood, chocolate milk, and urine, to name a few.
* InvincibilityPowerUp: The My Little Unicorn and the Gamekid powerup. To a lesser extent the Book of Shadows.
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* SuperStar: The My Little Unicorn and the Gamekid powerup. To a lesser extent the Book of Shadows.
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* SkeletonKey: Gives 99 keys instead.
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* SkeletonKey: Gives 99 keys instead.[[{{Cap}} 99]] regular keys, which is probably all you'll need and then some.
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* SequenceBreaking: It's possible to reach [[spoiler:Sheol]] without beating the game ten times by using the "We Need To Go Deeper" item in the supposedly last stage.
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* SequenceBreaking: It's possible to reach [[spoiler:Sheol]] without beating the game ten times either by using the "We Need To Go Deeper" item or taking the hatch in the ([[LuckBasedMission possible]]) Devil Room in the supposedly last stage.
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* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: [[spoiler: The Bible item instantly kills Mom. In the first ending, Mom is killed by a falling Bible.]]
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Someone was guessing percentages
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* EyeScream: Peep's eyes will pop out when he's at 50% and 25% health. The eyes are invincible and cause CollisionDamage, as well as blocking shots meant for Peep.
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* EyeScream: Peep's eyes will pop out when he's at 50% two-thirds and 25% one-third of his maximum health. The eyes are invincible and cause CollisionDamage, as well as blocking shots meant for Peep.
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*** Also, the Book of Revelations makes it much more likely that you'll fight a Harbinger in the boss room, letting you quickly build up your Meat Boy familiar.
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* HundredPercentCompletion: The "Golden God" achievement is gotten after getting all the items in the game.
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* HundredPercentCompletion: The "Golden God" achievement is gotten after obtained for getting all the items in the game.
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* ActionBomb: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Boom Flies.]]
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* ActionBomb: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Boom Flies.]]Flies]].
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** To clarify, the front of the "Knight" appears to be solid bone or petrified flesh. The only way to actually damage it is to hit it in the back of it's head, the exposed brain.
** Also the ground turrets might classify, unless the skull is red you have to wait for them to get ready for an attack to hit them.
* AwesomeYetImpractical: The Brimstone item. It turns you into a black, horned demon and makes you fire bloody beams that not only deals significant damage, but also pierces enemies and obstacles, allowing you to quickly clear a room if the enemies are lined up. The price? It's only found in the Devil Room (costs about two hearts) or dropped by The Fallen (a rather difficult boss). And, unless you have one of a few specific powerups like Chocolate Milk or a familiar, you can't attack until it's fully charged (which can take between two and five seconds). That said, if you've mastered the weapon's idiosyncrasies and can soak the health cost, Brimstone moves firmly into the DifficultButAwesome category.
** [[spoiler:The Dr. Fetus item is probably a better example. It makes you fire bombs at a slow rate of fire instead of tears. You'll never have a lack of bombs ever, kills most bosses in seconds (save for splitters and Gundy) and almost every enemy in a single hit, but has some distinct flaws: Bombs will also damage you if you're too close, get moved by some familiars, and are really hard to use against targets chasing you.]]
** Also the ground turrets might classify, unless the skull is red you have to wait for them to get ready for an attack to hit them.
* AwesomeYetImpractical: The Brimstone item. It turns you into a black, horned demon and makes you fire bloody beams that not only deals significant damage, but also pierces enemies and obstacles, allowing you to quickly clear a room if the enemies are lined up. The price? It's only found in the Devil Room (costs about two hearts) or dropped by The Fallen (a rather difficult boss). And, unless you have one of a few specific powerups like Chocolate Milk or a familiar, you can't attack until it's fully charged (which can take between two and five seconds). That said, if you've mastered the weapon's idiosyncrasies and can soak the health cost, Brimstone moves firmly into the DifficultButAwesome category.
** [[spoiler:The Dr. Fetus item is probably a better example. It makes you fire bombs at a slow rate of fire instead of tears. You'll never have a lack of bombs ever, kills most bosses in seconds (save for splitters and Gundy) and almost every enemy in a single hit, but has some distinct flaws: Bombs will also damage you if you're too close, get moved by some familiars, and are really hard to use against targets chasing you.]]
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** To clarify, the front of the "Knight" appears to be solid bone or petrified flesh. The only way to actually damage it is to hit it in the back of it's its head, the exposed brain.
**Also Also, the ground turrets might classify, classify; unless the skull is red red, you have to wait for them to get ready for an attack to hit them.
*AwesomeYetImpractical: AwesomeButImpractical: The Brimstone item. It turns you into a black, horned demon and makes you fire bloody beams that not only deals deal significant damage, but also pierces pierce enemies and obstacles, allowing you to quickly clear a room if the enemies are lined up. The price? It's only found in the Devil Room (costs about two hearts) or dropped by The Fallen (a rather difficult boss). And, unless you have one of a few specific powerups powerups, like Chocolate Milk or a familiar, you can't attack until it's fully charged (which can take between two and five seconds). That said, if you've mastered the weapon's idiosyncrasies and can soak the health cost, Brimstone moves firmly into the DifficultButAwesome category.
** A recent patch severely nerfed the Brimstone + Chocolate Milk combo. However, you can now begin charging a new Brimstone the moment you release the previous one -- that is, while the beam is ''still firing''. This arguably pushes Brimstone into the AwesomeYetPractical category.
** [[spoiler:The Dr. Fetus item is probably a better example. It makes you fire bombs at a slow rate of fire instead of tears. You'll never have a lack of bombs ever, it kills most bosses in seconds (save for splitters andGundy) Gundy), and almost every enemy dies in a single hit, but has some distinct flaws: Bombs will also damage you if you're too close, can get moved by some familiars, and are really hard to use against targets chasing you.]]
**
*
** A recent patch severely nerfed the Brimstone + Chocolate Milk combo. However, you can now begin charging a new Brimstone the moment you release the previous one -- that is, while the beam is ''still firing''. This arguably pushes Brimstone into the AwesomeYetPractical category.
** [[spoiler:The Dr. Fetus item is probably a better example. It makes you fire bombs at a slow rate of fire instead of tears. You'll never have a lack of bombs ever, it kills most bosses in seconds (save for splitters and
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* BadSanta: An update released around Christmas adds the original Bad Santa, Krampus. [[spoiler: He drops a Lump of Coal.]]
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* BadSanta: An update released around Christmas adds the original Bad Santa, Krampus. [[spoiler: He [[spoiler:He drops a Lump of Coal.]]
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* BiblicalMotifs: And a storyline, and a ''ton'' of references. Plus TheBible itself appears as a collectable item.
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* BiblicalMotifs: And a storyline, and a ''ton'' of references. Plus Plus, TheBible itself appears as a collectable item.
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* BitingTheHandHumor: {{Inverted|Trope}} ([[StealthInsult or played straight?]]) with the (incredibly useful [[DiscOneNuke if picked up early]]) [[{{Steam}} Steam Sale]] item, which cuts-down all Shop prices by 50%. (rounded down!)
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* BitingTheHandHumor: {{Inverted|Trope}} ([[StealthInsult or played straight?]]) with the (incredibly useful [[DiscOneNuke if picked up early]]) [[{{Steam}} Steam Sale]] item, which cuts-down all Shop prices by 50%. 50% (rounded down!)
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** Likewise, one item allows you to restore half a heart every 13 enemies you kill. One regenerating enemy can regenerate back from the point after they count as a kill for the purpose of this item. Like the above, it's a slow slog to max health, but there's a good chance it's worth the trouble.
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** Likewise, one item allows you to restore half a heart for every 13 enemies you kill. One regenerating enemy can regenerate back from the point after they count as a kill for the purpose of this item. Like the above, it's a slow slog to max health, but there's a good chance it's worth the trouble.
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** {{Gish}} appears as both a common enemy and a boss, a Host (from a multiplayer Flash game of the same name) makes an appearance as an enemy, and the walls of the Arcade are lined with posters of other [=McMillen=] games like ''TimeFcuk''.
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** {{Gish}} appears as both a common enemy and a boss, a Host (from a multiplayer Flash game of the same name) makes an appearance as an enemy, and the walls of the Arcade are lined with posters of other [=McMillen=] games like ''TimeFcuk''.(like ''TimeFcuk'').
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* ChargedAttack: The chocolate milk enables a Hold-type attack. Brimstone is also hold-type. However, having both allows Brimstone to fire without needing to charge.
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* ChargedAttack: The chocolate milk enables a Hold-type attack. Brimstone is also hold-type. However, having both allows Brimstone to fire without needing to charge.charge... at least, it ''used'' to.
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** A December update gives us [[spoiler: Krampus, who replaces the vendor in Devil Rooms]].
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** A December update gives us [[spoiler: Krampus, [[spoiler:Krampus, who replaces the vendor in Devil Rooms]].
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* CrapsaccharineWorld: Cutesy ThickLineAnimation, adorable characters.... and the horrific monsters they have to beat to avoid becoming a red smear on the basement floor
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* CrapsaccharineWorld: Cutesy ThickLineAnimation, adorable characters.... and the horrific monsters they have to beat to avoid becoming a red smear on the basement floorfloor.
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** With skill, its possible to have [[spoiler:Mom stomp herself]]. And with the proper item, its even possible to [[spoiler:kill her by having her stomp her own foot.]]
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** With skill, its it's possible to have [[spoiler:Mom stomp herself]]. And with the proper item, its it's even possible to [[spoiler:kill her by having her stomp her own foot.]]
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** In the in arenas from The Womb onward, the three-wave fights will often ALL be first floor bosses.
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** In the in arenas from The Womb onward, the three-wave fights will often ALL be first floor bosses.
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** If you try to buy a Devil Room item that costs your remaining Heart Containers, you die instantly. This is actually credited in Isaac's will as a pentagram. You can survive if you have Faith Hearts remaining, but it's tough.
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** If you try to buy a Devil Room item that costs your remaining Heart Containers, you die instantly. This is actually credited in Isaac's will as a pentagram. You can survive if you have Faith Faith/soul Hearts remaining, but it's tough.
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* GainaxEnding: All the endings except the first, "Epilogue". The general format is: Isaac beats Mom, goes [[spoiler:inside her womb]] for two more levels and kills [[spoiler:Mom's Heart]], which drops a giant chest. Isaac opens this chest and finds an item which will be available next game, which he is unduly excited about, and optionally something bad happens to him. Especially notable for MindScrew is the "Everything's Terrible!" ending, where [[spoiler:Mom's arm pops out of a chest and drags him in. Yes, her arm popped out of a chest ''in her own womb.'']] No resolution of the plot from the introduction actually occurs. For that matter, the intro plot and normal ending combined make up a story that doesn't really fit with the rest of the game.
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* GainaxEnding: All the endings except the first, "Epilogue". The general format is: Isaac beats Mom, goes [[spoiler:inside her womb]] for two more levels levels, and kills [[spoiler:Mom's Heart]], which drops a giant chest. Isaac opens this chest and finds an item which will be available next game, which he is unduly excited about, and optionally something bad happens to him. Especially notable for MindScrew is the "Everything's Terrible!" ending, where [[spoiler:Mom's arm pops out of a chest and drags him in. Yes, her arm popped out of a chest ''in her own womb.'']] No resolution of the plot from the introduction actually occurs. For that matter, the intro plot and normal ending combined make up a story that doesn't really fit with the rest of the game.
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** [[spoiler:At least that would explain how they can use Number One effectively.]]
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Adding a trope.
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* OffingTheOffspring: Unsurprisingly, since the game was named after the original, the Choice of Abraham kind.
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* {{Hammerspace}}: It's not specified where can Isaac hold all the coins, keys and bombs he has collected.
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* SleeperHit: WordOfGod has stated he never expected ''Isaac'' to be so popular.
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** This ultimately culminates in an episode with [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2cN4DkEQEE co-commentary]] by [[WordOfGod Edmund McMillen]]
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* TheBible: As an item...
* BiblicalMotifs: And a storyline, and a ''ton'' of references.
* BiblicalMotifs: And a storyline, and a ''ton'' of references.
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''The Binding of Isaac'' is a hybrid {{Roguelike}}/shooter made by Edmund [=McMillen=], a co-creator of MeatBoy, and Florian Himsl, released in September 2011.
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''The Binding of Isaac'' is a hybrid {{Roguelike}}/shooter made by Edmund [=McMillen=], a co-creator of MeatBoy, VideoGame/MeatBoy, and Florian Himsl, released in September 2011.
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* TheCameo: One of the available powerups is a chunk of meat which, after collecting several, can be used to create a MeatBoy who will follow you and help fight enemies. There's an achievement for finishing him.
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* TheCameo: One of the available powerups is a chunk of meat which, after collecting several, can be used to create a MeatBoy VideoGame/MeatBoy who will follow you and help fight enemies. There's an achievement for finishing him.
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* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to MeatBoy. And that's [[ItGotWorse saying something.]]
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* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to MeatBoy.VideoGame/MeatBoy. And that's [[ItGotWorse saying something.]]
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*** ...[[spoiler:[[MeatBoy Dr. Fetus?!?]]]]
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*** ...[[spoiler:[[MeatBoy [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/MeatBoy Dr. Fetus?!?]]]]
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* EnemyWithout: Doples, which are giant versions of Isaac, but lacking skin a la Meatboy. They mirror the player's movements, including shooting, but most rooms come with a mechanism with which to destroy them. There are also bombs, and praying that whipped shots will work. The Halloween Update adds demonic versions that fly.
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* EnemyWithout: Doples, which are giant versions of Isaac, but lacking skin a la Meatboy.VideoGame/Meatboy. They mirror the player's movements, including shooting, but most rooms come with a mechanism with which to destroy them. There are also bombs, and praying that whipped shots will work. The Halloween Update adds demonic versions that fly.
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* EvolvingWeapon: The Cube of Meat, an item that only drops from The Harbinger bosses. Every cube you get increases how effective the powerup is. It also reminds one of [[MeatBoy a certain skinless boy]] after the second cube.
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* EvolvingWeapon: The Cube of Meat, an item that only drops from The Harbinger bosses. Every cube you get increases how effective the powerup is. It also reminds one of [[MeatBoy [[VideoGame/MeatBoy a certain skinless boy]] after the second cube.
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** Some boss variants are actually characters from other games. For instance, Chub the grub can sometimes turn out as [[MeatBoy C.H.A.D. the blood clot]].
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** Some boss variants are actually characters from other games. For instance, Chub the grub can sometimes turn out as [[MeatBoy [[VideoGame/MeatBoy C.H.A.D. the blood clot]].
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* XMeetsY: ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'' meets ''SuperMeatBoy'' meets ''TheBible''... In {{Roguelike}} style!
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* XMeetsY: ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'' meets ''SuperMeatBoy'' ''Super Meat Boy'' meets ''TheBible''... In {{Roguelike}} style!
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** A canny player can push Wrath's bombs back at him, dealing significant damage. If you've got the Homing Bombs powerup, you won't even need to do that.
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''The Binding of Isaac'' is a hybrid {{Roguelike}}/shooter made by Edmund [=McMillen=], a co-creator of MeatBoy, and Florian Himsl.
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''The Binding of Isaac'' is a hybrid {{Roguelike}}/shooter made by Edmund [=McMillen=], a co-creator of MeatBoy, and Florian Himsl.
Himsl, released in September 2011.
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An expansion, ''Wrath of the Lamb,'' is due in the first half of 2012. It will add a new category of collectibles called "trinkets," plus new and upgraded items, enemies, and alternate areas.
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* BigCreepyCrawlies: Lots of maggots down in the basement, some bigger than the others.
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* BigCreepyCrawlies: Lots of flies and maggots down in the basement, some bigger than the others.others. The ''Wrath of the Lamb'' expansion adds spiders.
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** [[spoiler:The Dr. Fetus item is probably a better example. It makes you fire bombs at a slow rate of fire instead of tears. You'll never have a lack of bombs ever, kills most bosses in seconds (save for splitters and Gundy) and almost every enemy in a single hit, but has some distinct flaws: Bombs will also damage you if you're too close, get moved by some familiars, and are really hard to use against targets chasing you.]]
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* AwesomeYetImpractical: The Brimstone item. It turns you into a black, horned demon and makes you fire bloody beams that not only deals significant damage, but also pierces enemies, allowing you to quickly clear a room if the enemies are lined up. The price? It's only found in the Devil Room (costs about two hearts) or dropped by The Fallen (a rather difficult boss). And, unless you have one of a few specific powerups like Chocolate Milk or a familiar, you can't attack until it's fully charged (which can take between two and five seconds).
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* AwesomeYetImpractical: The Brimstone item. It turns you into a black, horned demon and makes you fire bloody beams that not only deals significant damage, but also pierces enemies, enemies and obstacles, allowing you to quickly clear a room if the enemies are lined up. The price? It's only found in the Devil Room (costs about two hearts) or dropped by The Fallen (a rather difficult boss). And, unless you have one of a few specific powerups like Chocolate Milk or a familiar, you can't attack until it's fully charged (which can take between two and five seconds). That said, if you've mastered the weapon's idiosyncrasies and can soak the health cost, Brimstone moves firmly into the DifficultButAwesome category.
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** Loki also drops Boom Flies that, if your offensive capabilities are strong enough, you'll immediately detonate on top of Loki.
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/The_Binding_of_Isaac_game_224.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[ItGotWorse IT.]] [[UpToEleven GETS.]] [[BeyondTheImpossible WORSE.]]]]
''The Binding of Isaac'' is a hybrid {{Roguelike}}/shooter made by Edmund [=McMillen=], a co-creator of MeatBoy, and Florian Himsl.
The story follows Isaac, a young boy who is in possibly the worst situation imaginable. After his mother heard commands from {{God}} that she followed without question, she is commanded to kill her son in sacrifice to prove her devotion. Isaac manages to escape into the basement, and is on the run as he fights off demons both physical and mental, discovers secrets about his mother's past, and ultimately confronts her in an effort to survive.
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[[AC:This game provides examples of]]:
* HundredPercentCompletion: The "Golden God" achievement is gotten after getting all the items in the game.
* TwentyPercentMoreAwesome: The video announcement for the Halloween update states that the game is now '20% more evil'.
* {{Abusive Parent|s}}: The Game!
* ActionBomb: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Boom Flies.]]
* AfterActionReport: When you die, you get to see a will listing what killed you and which powerups you picked up.
* AsteroidsMonster: This is the gimmick of a number of enemies, like some of the enemies related to flies. For bosses, Fistula, Envy, and Blastocyst split repeatedly, The Fallen splits once, and Larry Jr. can split if you kill the wrong segment first.
* AttackDrone: Some of the of the powerups.
* AttackItsWeakPoint: There are zombies (known as Knights) which can only be attacked on the back of their heads.
** To clarify, the front of the "Knight" appears to be solid bone or petrified flesh. The only way to actually damage it is to hit it in the back of it's head, the exposed brain.
** Also the ground turrets might classify, unless the skull is red you have to wait for them to get ready for an attack to hit them.
* AwesomeYetImpractical: The Brimstone item. It turns you into a black, horned demon and makes you fire bloody beams that not only deals significant damage, but also pierces enemies, allowing you to quickly clear a room if the enemies are lined up. The price? It's only found in the Devil Room (costs about two hearts) or dropped by The Fallen (a rather difficult boss). And, unless you have one of a few specific powerups like Chocolate Milk or a familiar, you can't attack until it's fully charged (which can take between two and five seconds).
* AxCrazy: Isaac's Mother.
* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:???, a reference to an earlier work by the creator. Monstro II seems to be an undead version of Monstro, the common Basement floor boss.]]
* BadSanta: An update released around Christmas adds the original Bad Santa, Krampus. [[spoiler: He drops a Lump of Coal.]]
* BerserkerTears: {{Invoked|Trope}} (and [[ExploitedTrope weaponized!]]) if you find [[AndYourLittleDogToo Max's Head]]. Finding his dog's severed head makes Isaac's tears bigger and more powerful.
* TheBible: As an item...
* BiblicalMotifs: And a storyline, and a ''ton'' of references.
* BigBad: Isaac's mom.
** The Halloween Update gives us [[spoiler:Satan. Given that you fight him after defeating Mom, he could be TheManBehindTheMan]].
* BigCreepyCrawlies: Lots of maggots down in the basement, some bigger than the others.
* BitingTheHandHumor: {{Inverted|Trope}} ([[StealthInsult or played straight?]]) with the (incredibly useful [[DiscOneNuke if picked up early]]) [[{{Steam}} Steam Sale]] item, which cuts-down all Shop prices by 50%. (rounded down!)
** Considering sales skyrocketed when the game was included in the Voxatron Humble Indie Bundle for charity....
* BlobMonster: There are red wobbly blob things called Clots, monsters of the same species as {{Gish}}, and the boss monster Blastocyst.
* BloodyBowelsOfHell: The game leans heavily towards this over FireAndBrimstoneHell.
* BloodyMurder: Almost all enemies use weaponized blood to attack. With the correct upgrades, Isaac can too.
* BodyHorror: Various enemies you face in the game appear to be mutant children.
** In addition, many of the powers you gain take the form of horrible physical transformations.
* BonusBoss: [[spoiler:{{Satan}}]], from the Halloween Update, who can only be fought by killing the TrueFinalBoss without getting injured, or by killing it ten times. Though perhaps he can qualify as a TrueFinalBoss in his own right.
* BoringButPractical: The battery allows you to charge up your item much faster than usual, if you stick around in combat for a while. Simply kill all but a single enemy, and dodge until you get all you can out of it.
** Likewise, one item allows you to restore half a heart every 13 enemies you kill. One regenerating enemy can regenerate back from the point after they count as a kill for the purpose of this item. Like the above, it's a slow slog to max health, but there's a good chance it's worth the trouble.
*** The same can be true when you're in the later levels and find an arcade. In fact, the more useful it is, the more boring it becomes.
* BossBanter: During her boss battle, Mom will constantly shout Isaac's name at you, in various tones.
** [[spoiler:Satan does the same, too, in his warped, devilish voice. Which can make it hard to understand what he's saying.]]
* BossRush: [[spoiler:This is sorta kinda the case with It Lives. When it summons mooks, it also summons weaker bosses (Monstro, Larry Jr. Chub, ETC.)]]
** [[spoiler:Many of the bosses will also make encore appearances in The Womb and Sheol, sometimes two at once.]]
* BreakTheCutie: It's in the title screen.
* BreatherLevel: Even during the BrutalBonusLevel, there will occasionally be rooms with only a fly or a pair of helpless grubs, which still recharge your special item and have a chance to drop items. There will also always be some empty rooms, and it's possible to spend quite a long time in the arcade with virtually no chance of death.
* BrutalBonusLevel: [[spoiler:The Womb.]]
** And as of the Halloween update, [[spoiler:Sheol.]]
* TheCameo: One of the available powerups is a chunk of meat which, after collecting several, can be used to create a MeatBoy who will follow you and help fight enemies. There's an achievement for finishing him.
** {{Gish}} appears as both a common enemy and a boss, a Host (from a multiplayer Flash game of the same name) makes an appearance as an enemy, and the walls of the Arcade are lined with posters of other [=McMillen=] games like ''TimeFcuk''.
* CartoonBomb: With a skull on it.
* ChargedAttack: The chocolate milk enables a Hold-type attack. Brimstone is also hold-type. However, having both allows Brimstone to fire without needing to charge.
* ChestMonster: Greed, sort of. He takes the place of either a shop or a secret room to ambush you. Which, frustratingly, can mean that a level has no shop at all, even on the last level which can have one.
** A December update gives us [[spoiler: Krampus, who replaces the vendor in Devil Rooms]].
* CollisionDamage: Isaac cannot touch most of the enemies. There's an item which hurts the enemies as well when they touch Isaac.
* ConfusionFu: This is the basic niche of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It basically gives the effect of a random spacebar item per charge.
* CrapsaccharineWorld: Cutesy ThickLineAnimation, adorable characters.... and the horrific monsters they have to beat to avoid becoming a red smear on the basement floor
* CreepyBasement: Hoo, boy.
* CursedWithAwesome: The "curse" that Eve starts the game with. [[spoiler:It gives her a super form when she's reduced to half a heart of health.]]
* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to MeatBoy. And that's [[ItGotWorse saying something.]]
* DeadBabyComedy: Powerups include a dead cat, the head of a dead dog or cat, a wire coat hanger which Isaac sticks through his head to make him cry more, and what appear to be ''two'' dead or possibly aborted siblings.
* DealWithTheDevil: Defeating a boss will sometimes unlock a Devil Door, where you can buy powerful upgrades in exchange for health capacity. One of those upgrades is literally this trope: a pact signed in blood.
* DeathByIrony: [[spoiler:In the normal ending, Mom is killed when one of her own bibles falls from a shelf and drops her.]]
** [[spoiler:TheEndOrIsIt: Just as Isaac appears safe, his mother appears in the background behind him, holding a knife. One's doubt of final victory becomes apparent as all your victory means is that The Womb is unlocked and mother merely 'sleeps'...]]
** With skill, its possible to have [[spoiler:Mom stomp herself]]. And with the proper item, its even possible to [[spoiler:kill her by having her stomp her own foot.]]
** In the aforementioned Devil Doors, you can purchase an item that lets you die 9 times. But if the cost of buying it would kill you? You just straight-up die. And respawn using one of those lives.
* DegradedBoss: Bosses that can appear in earlier levels appear regularly in last levels.
** In the in arenas from The Womb onward, the three-wave fights will often ALL be first floor bosses.
* DenialOfDiagonalAttack: While it is possible to influence the angle of your tears by moving strategically, other than that you'll have to make do with just the basic cardinal directions. Whipping shots becomes impossible with Technology; however, Spoon Bender and similar items have no effect on it.
* DesperationAttack: The Whore of Babylon item, which makes the player much stronger when having only half a heart. Eve starts the game with this item. It's not a Desperation Attack if [[spoiler:???]] picks up this item, as it is always active for him.
* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything:
** If you try to buy a Devil Room item that costs your remaining Heart Containers, you die instantly. This is actually credited in Isaac's will as a pentagram. You can survive if you have Faith Hearts remaining, but it's tough.
** Not just that, but a pentagram with shaded horns, eyes, and teeth -- it does a very passable impression of the Devil Room vendor himself.
** Speaking of which, getting the right items can make you look suspiciously like the Devil or certain bosses. Enough demonic items can make you look like a miniature version of the Devil Room vendor. Getting both The Virus (deal damage on touch) and Roid Rage (run fast) makes you look almost identical to Lust (acts like "she" has both and can drop The Virus). Getting Mr. Mega makes you look like Wrath, who can drop it occasionally.
* [[spoiler:[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu Isaac, Did You Just Punch Out Satan?]]]]
* DifficultButAwesome:
** [[spoiler:The fetus in a jar]] allows you to shoot bombs instead of tears. On one hand, it can hurt you and it takes good timing. On the other hand, you have limitless bombs and enemies (especially bosses) die REALLY easily.
*** ...[[spoiler:[[MeatBoy Dr. Fetus?!?]]]]
** Eve also has shades of this with her OneWingedAngel form accessible with one of her starter items (see FragileSpeedster[=/=]GlassCannon below for more details).
** Distant Admiration fly. With proper skills, it can kill a boss relatively quickly.
* TheDragon: [[spoiler:The Fallen, a new boss added by the Halloween update, is this to Satan.]]
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:One of the endings has Isaac so traumatized by the experience that he quickly hangs himself when he finds a noose as the final treasure of the game.]]
** [[spoiler: Particularly ending 11, where upon opening the final chest and seeing its contents, Isaac briefly switches through all playable characters. Afterwards, he locks himself into said chest, possibly sealing himself to his own demise. Seeing as ending 10 reveals a dead body inside the final chest...]]
* DungeonBypass: The [[{{Inception}} "We Need to Go Deeper"]] shovel allows you to dig down to the next dungeon level without finding and beating the boss [[ShortCutsMakeLongDelays (and, if you're not judicious about using it, without picking up the powerups you'll eventually need to win the game).]]
* EleventhHourSuperpower: Level 4 Meat Boy, who can only be obtained without bug-exploitation just before the start of the last level of the game. He will crush almost everything on that level with ease if you can stay out of the way for more than a few seconds.
* EliteMooks: Each enemy type has a tougher, tinted / colored version that will almost always drop an item when killed.
** Different colors have different meanings, which are NOT consistent between enemies. An orange Knight won't act like Orange Chub.
* EnemyWithout: Doples, which are giant versions of Isaac, but lacking skin a la Meatboy. They mirror the player's movements, including shooting, but most rooms come with a mechanism with which to destroy them. There are also bombs, and praying that whipped shots will work. The Halloween Update adds demonic versions that fly.
* EmptyRoomUntilTheTrap: Each level may have one specially marked room with a chest or item that, if you open/take it, will trigger three waves of enemies.
* EverythingTryingToKillYou
* EvilIsVisceral
* EvilLaugh: Mom sometimes during the boss fight.
** [[spoiler:Satan also laughs before taking his second form.]]
* EvolvingWeapon: The Cube of Meat, an item that only drops from The Harbinger bosses. Every cube you get increases how effective the powerup is. It also reminds one of [[MeatBoy a certain skinless boy]] after the second cube.
* ExplodingBarrels: Wooden barrel variety.
* EyeScream: Peep's eyes will pop out when he's at 50% and 25% health. The eyes are invincible and cause CollisionDamage, as well as blocking shots meant for Peep.
** Several items inflict this on Isaac, and several enemies have empty eye sockets.
* FacelessEye: Two of the enemies. They shoot EyeBeams or blood streams.
* FanDisservice: When Isaac uses the Mom's Bra item, a picture of his mother's shirtless torso flashes on the screen. A ''very'' unflattering picture of his mother's less-than-fit shirtless torso.
* FaustianRebellion: [[spoiler:The items Satan sells you at the cost of your maximum health often end up making beating him a lot easier.]]
* FeedItABomb: Chub has the exact same weakness as Dodongo of TheLegendOfZelda fame, though he can also be beaten by regular attacks.
* FetusTerrible: The Baby enemies are floating fetuses. [[spoiler:It Lives, the alternate form of Mom's Heart, is also a gigantic evil fetus (Isaac's fetus, to be more precise!).]]
* FlashOfPain: Enemies flash red when hit; player characters flash when struck, and become temporarily invincible.
* FlunkyBoss: Almost every boss in the game, with Gurdy and Mom being the most notorious.
* FragileSpeedster[=/=]GlassCannon: Cain starts off as this.
** LightningBruiser: [[LethalJokeCharacter Though he'll inevitably become this due to the fact that he tends to get lots of good items.]]
** Judas starts as a more extreme version of the first two, having even fewer hearts than Cain, yet being the strongest.
** Thus far, Eve is THE most extreme version of this (especially the former). She starts off with only two hearts & crap attack, but she has monster speed for the start, but that's not the extent of it. The biggest reason why she's such is that she starts off with two items, both dependent on her taking damage. One of them summons a crow when she's been hurt once that lasts for the entire room & acts like a really fast Level 3 Meat Boy. The second one (activating when she only has a half heart left) puts her in a OneWingedAngel state that increases her damage and allows her to take another hit before dying. [[FridgeBrilliance Considering she's designed with an emo[=/=] modern goth aesthetic, with those two subcultures partially known for self-inflicted injury, it makes sense.]]
*** And if that's not indication enough? Beating The Womb with her unlocks the Razor Blade, which raises your attack power in exchange for a few paltry hearts.
** Any character can become this by making enough Deals with the Devil.
* FreudianExcuse
* FullFrontalAssault: All player characters begin naked, as evidenced in the opening movie where Issac first loses all his possessions, toys... and clothing.
* GainaxEnding: All the endings except the first, "Epilogue". The general format is: Isaac beats Mom, goes [[spoiler:inside her womb]] for two more levels and kills [[spoiler:Mom's Heart]], which drops a giant chest. Isaac opens this chest and finds an item which will be available next game, which he is unduly excited about, and optionally something bad happens to him. Especially notable for MindScrew is the "Everything's Terrible!" ending, where [[spoiler:Mom's arm pops out of a chest and drags him in. Yes, her arm popped out of a chest ''in her own womb.'']] No resolution of the plot from the introduction actually occurs. For that matter, the intro plot and normal ending combined make up a story that doesn't really fit with the rest of the game.
** The "final" ending from the update turns this UpToEleven.
%% Please place all GameBreaker examples in the YMMV page.
* GameBreakingBug: One of the new items introduced in the Halloween update, Brimstone, causes Isaac to shoot enormous streams of blood from his mouth. Sounds awesome? Depending on which upgrades you get or currently have, you may end up ''being unable to attack at all''. The boss of the level added at the same time as Brimstone was also initially immune to it due to a bug.
* GodIsGood: [[spoiler:Surprisingly enough. Guess Issac's Mom was just a nutjob after all. Or manipulated by Satan.]]
* {{Gorn}}: Most of the bosses and enemies are quite disgusting, along with several powerups.
* [[GrossoutShow Grossout Game]]
* GrossUpCloseUp: Frequently, especially in matters involving Isaac's mother.
* GuiltBasedGaming: If you try to quit the game, Isaac will ask you "Are you sure you want me to die?"
* HeadlessHorseman: One is added as a boss in the Halloween Update. Amusingly, his floating head charges the player instead of the horse.
* HeartContainer: These can be found here and there, although only one of them resembles a heart.
** It does so in the literal anatomical sense, although it is named <3.
* HeartsAreHealth
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Isaac usually ends up looking about as horrible as many of his enemies.
* HighPressureBlood: Many enemies have blood coming from them with high speed. Examples include gusher with a constant bloodstream from its neck.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Using the Bible on Mom or Mom's Heart will kill them instantly. There's even an achievement for doing so. ''Inverted'' with the Sheol update, where trying to use the Bible on Satan will kill ''you'' instead.]]
* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: Unlockable as bosses after beating the game once, though called "The Harbingers".
* InexplicableTreasureChests: Treasure chests are everywhere in the basement of the house. Even more inexplicably in [[spoiler:his mother's Womb.]]
** It's possible to unlock a treasure chest and find ''another'' smaller treasure chest inside, and (although very rare) it's possible that chest has ''another still smaller chest inside it''!
* InfernalRetaliation: Hoppers move twice as fast, jump twice as far, and inflict more damage when they're on fire. [[ItGotWorse It gets better]]: the variety with blood around their neckholes are even less predictable, and can jump high into the air, spewing damaging blood when they come down.
* InfinityPlusOneSword: Isaac's secret starting item. You need to beat the game's true final level ten times, which is quite a lengthy and dangerous task. And after that, you need to beat it once again with the resident JokeCharacter! [[NintendoHard An extremely painful ordeal!]] But if you manage to accomplish this mission, your reward will be...
** [[spoiler:LuckManipulationMechanic: [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome The all-mighty D6 dice!]] An activated item capable of transmuting any collection related item(s) into other random item(s).]]
** Another one shows up in the Halloween Update. [[spoiler:Mom's Knife, which is absurdly powerful.]]
* ImprobableWeaponUser: At the start, Isaac attacks using his tears. He can use various other weapons such as blood, chocolate milk, and urine, to name a few.
* IncrediblyLamePun: "[[CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest What a WHORRIBLE night for a curse!]]"
* InterchangeableAntimatterKeys: In classic Zelda style, any key fits all locks, but disappears once used.
* IronicNurseryTune: Heard in the credits after the very last ending, received from beating the game ten times.
* ItemGet: When picking up an item, tarot card, or a pill, Isaac briefly holds the item over his head. That's why it's sometimes not recommended to pick up pills and cards in the middle of combat.
* ItGotWorse
* JackOfAllStats: Isaac starts as this.
** MasterOfNone: Before you unlock his item. See MagikarpPower and InfinityPlusOneSword.
* JokeCharacter: [[spoiler:???]], unlocked by beating the true form of the game's TrueFinalBoss (you read that right), and who you need to beat it again with to unlock yet another item. He starts with the same stats as Isaac (not even Cain or Judas's improved offensive stats) except all his hearts are soul hearts[[hottip:*:Hearts meant as an 'armor' of sorts for regular hearts. Although they stack on top of your regular hearts, they do not refill and once they are gone, they are gone]] -- and for the entire game, all health upgrades he collects are instead soul hearts, meaning he can never have any health except soul hearts. He does start with an item though! Why yes, play as [[spoiler:???]] and you can start the game with...
* JokeItem: The Poop, which just drops a pile of dung where you're standing and can be used once per room. Maybe it can be used for cover and maybe it can be used to block an enemy chasing you, but virtually any other item is more useful in any situation.
** It's only good in areas with small passages. Note that shooting poop [[RewardingVandalism sometimes spawns a pickup]].
* KingMook: Chub.
* TheKrampus: Added as a boss in the Christmas update. The Krampus will randomly appear in the Devil room with the chances of him increasing the more you visit the room and even more if you actually take items.
* LastDitchMove: Some enemies explode, while some others spawn bullets when killed. For bosses, Steven has a last-ditch move.
* TheLegionsOfHell
* LethalJokeItem: The [[spoiler:Bible]] takes forever to recharge and doesn't even deal damage, but kills the final boss and the TrueFinalBoss in one use. Don't try to use it on the BonusBoss, though. Just don't.
** By extension, the [[spoiler:Rosary]] has a fairly disappointing obvious effect, but it can often be used to cheat the devil out of some of his nicer items without dying and has the side effect of making a [[spoiler:Bible]] more likely in shops, guaranteeing an easy final boss if you get it.
** The Book of Revelations has an appreciable effect, but is likely to be passed over for a more dramatic (and faster charging) item. The Book of Revelations plus the Battery plus patience, however, means one free soul heart per room for the rest of the game. Play conservatively and it's almost impossible to lose. A few other items can be similarly abused.
* LetsPlay: A few on Youtube. One notable example is {{Northernlion}}. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5PLC6nmOO4 Here's]] the first episode. Watch as he goes from complete newbie to expert over the course of 90+ videos!
* LivingApart: In later levels, brain enemies are encountered that are just living brains. There are also rolling guts in the later levels.
* LosingYourHead:
** Some of the enemies can attack the player even after losing their body or head or they just get separated.
** Transcendence removes the player's body, allowing you to float over rocks, pits, spikes, and damaging liquids. One of the better items.
** The Shears and the "The Hanged Man" Tarot card also do this, but only for one room. Also if Isaac has items that make him look demonic [[WingedHumanoid he gets wings instead]].
* LuckBasedMission: The items are not all equally useful, and other than a guarantee of one major item and one shop per level (possibly both behind locked doors you can't open, and the shop could have anything from two hearts to four major items or be replaced by a boss who drops nothing of value) plus a major item dropped by each boss, how many items you get is somewhat random. The pill item is explicitly random in the fashion of Roguelike potions (though it has more positive than negative effects), after-battle rewards are random, and not all bosses are equally hard. Finding an arcade can often mean an end to needing to pay attention to your supply of bombs, keys and/or money for the rest of the game and can also grant some pills and fly shields -- but it's also completely random whether you'll even find one, and getting any items from the games within is also luck-based. Basically, there is always a chance that you will reach the end of the game with a much more or less powered up character than you expected through no fault of your own. On the extreme, it's possible to get absolutely no useful upgrades, all bonuses being activated items that you do not want, or things your character doesn't benefit from at all; on the other side it's possible to get a few bonuses that work well with each other and a lot of arcades along the way, getting to the last level with maximised stats, shots that pass through walls, and twelve hearts.
** [[UpToEleven Acquiring 4 Cubes of Meat!]] It requires you to fight and kill all four Harbingers in a single playthrough... Unfortunately, there's no guarantee you'll encounter all of them in a single run, even after acquiring a Book of Revelations, (another luck mission on itself) which [[InformedAbility supposedly guarantees you]] to fight all of them.
** Doing the no-damage runs is also highly luck-based. Get a room full of five leapers of a long trek to the boss room? You can forget about getting the achievement that run.
*** The RandomNumberGod may drop that room ''several'' times in a row.
** Bosses also constitute to the [[LuckBasedMission luck-based nature of the game]]. Not all of them are equally difficult, and depending on a character you choose and powerups you get, some might be a cake-walk (Larry Jr., Loki, etc.) and some an endless source of frustration (Gurdy for a slow-moving character, Monstro II for people who dislike close-range combat). And since not getting hit (which is more difficult if you get a boss you are faring poorly against) is almost a requirement for getting access to the devil room, which often allows one to balance the odds, [[UnstableEquilibrium the difficulty snowballs depending on how much]] RandomNumberGod loves you.
* LudicrousGibs: The fate of every single enemy you destroy is being turned into these.
* LyingCreator: "BIG HALLOWEEN UPDATE (with no actual lame Halloween themes)". [[spoiler:It once didn't have relevance to the holiday, sure, still, please explain the Headless Horseman.]]
* {{Macrogame}}: Each playthrough is different than the previous one, but with previously found items more likely
* MagikarpPower: After you start unlocking the secret characters, [[OvershadowedByAwesome Isaac becomes a lot less useful]], because the other characters' starting items grant them a great edge over him despite their specialized stats. HOWEVER, if you manage to unlock [[InfinityPlusOneSword his own starting equipment]], he suddenly becomes game's most powerful character!
* MeaningfulName: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binding_of_Isaac The Binding of Isaac.]]
** [[spoiler:ForegoneConclusion: Right down to God preventing the murder/sacrifice at the very last second in at least one ending.]]
* MightyGlacier[=/=]{{Stonewall}}: Magdalene starts off as this.
* TheMinionMaster: It would be easier to list the bosses who ''aren't'' this trope. Special mention goes to the final boss [[spoiler:and TrueFinalBoss]].
* MotherOfAThousandYoung: The normal final boss heavily implies that ''all'' the enemies in the game are Isaac's rejected siblings, along with the NPC turret-allies, and corpses found in the shops and secret rooms.
* MoodDissonance: The Arcade rooms are very nicely furnished and bright, with a very chipper 8 bit remix of the first level theme. It's a bizarre contrast to the rest of the game.
* MookMaker: Several of the bosses, though not all of them. Also one of the enemy types.
** The TrueFinalBoss is a [[MookMaker Degraded Boss Maker]].
* MoneyForNothing: Once you reach [[spoiler:The Womb]], money has very little use.
** [[spoiler:At least until you get your hands on a ''Money = Power'']]
* MultipleEndings
* NintendoHard: No continues. You start with one life, and no guarantee of additional lives being available. If you die, you start all over again. The configurations of rooms and upgrades are randomized and in some situations damage will be unavoidable. Survival depends on reflexes and calculated risk.
* NoCutsceneInventoryInertia: No matter what the player has picked up, the character at the cutscenes is still what he was at the beginning.
** For that matter, it'll still be Isaac no matter which character you're playing as [[spoiler:(although, considering the achievements imply most of the characters are Isaac wearing a PaperThinDisguise of some sort, it may be fitting after all)]].
* NoDamageRun: A no damage run of each area will earn you a Steam Achievement. It's also enforced with at least two characters in different ways.
* NoNameGiven: Mom.
** [[spoiler:MyNameIsQuestionMarks]]: [[spoiler:The last unlockable character is simply called "???"]]
* NoOntologicalInertia: Averted, any flunkies spawned by a boss will not die when the boss does (except in the case of Mom) and must be killed in order to clear the boss room.
* OldMediaAreEvil: The plot and imagery are inspired from inflammatory Christian propaganda from TheEighties, such as the Jack Chick comics.
* OneBadMother
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:The Nail (unlockable after one of the post-Mom's Heart endings) allows Isaac himself to use this trope for the duration of a room each time it's charged.]] For an example not involving [[spoiler:the nail]], see the Eve entry under FragileSpeedster[=/=]GlassCannon.
** [[spoiler:Satan]]
* PaletteSwap: Enemies with a different color palette. They're stronger but drop items upon death.
* PaperThinDisguise: It's ''heavily'' implied that the unlockable characters are just Isaac wearing these.
* PottyFailure: The item "Lemon Mishap" allows you to lay down a puddle of pee that damages. Also, certain pills will give you bad gas or literally explosive diarrhea. There's also the boss monster Peep, who uses urine as his main weapon.
** CriticalAnnoyance: Isaac leaves puddles of urine every room he enters when he is down to his last hit point.
* PowerupLetdown:
** The cat item. You have eight extra lives, yes. You also have your health bar reduced to one heart (and any health bar increases you find vanish on respawn), and if you die you respawn outside (with your secondary item still used up if you used it and any Faith Hearts still gone) and enemies fully heal. So good luck beating any bosses you couldn't kill on the first try. And those eight extra lives are going to need to last you the entire rest of the game.
** Also the mirror, which turns all your shots into boomerangs that follow you. These have abysmal range (and any range pickups you get make them boomerang further, which is pretty much useless) and behave in goofy ways which can be hard to predict or keep track of because they follow you rather than a trajectory. They could theoretically be useful but you'll probably just get hit more by having to think about them.
** A high speed stat, as well. You'd think it'd be useful, but once you get four or five it becomes very difficult to control the character and prevent yourself from careening into spikes, monsters, fires, shots, etc. Less obvious/problematic with flight.
** In a crossover with CursedWithAwesome is the Bad Trip pill. If you use it with the usual health bar (as you likely are, testing pills), you suffer 1 heart's worth of damage - but if used while at exactly one remaining heart of health, it acts as a Full Health pill.
* PowerupMagnet: There's a Magneto powerup which attracts powerups even through rocks and over gaps.
* PsychopathicManchild: Several bosses give this impression due to the goofy, yet deranged smiles they make when attacking.
* PunnyName: Isaac means "He laughed".
* RefugeInAudacity
* ResetButton: Forget Me Now, an item unlocked by [[spoiler: defeating Satan with ???]]. It starts you over from the beginning of the current level with a new layout and new monsters, including the boss. Why would you want to use this? The reset level also has new items, giving you more opportunities to power up your character. The only problem is that Forget Me Now is a one time use spacebar item, forcing you to abandon your current spacebar item and beginning the reset level with that item slot empty.
* ReviveKillsZombie: [[spoiler:The Bible]], while normally dealing no damage, kills Mom [[spoiler:and Mom's Heart]] instantly.
* RewardingVandalism: Occasionally, destroying poop and putting out fires drops an item. Rocks with a small X on them (usually identifiable by their color) will also drop an item when bombed. And then there's the secret rooms, which are revealed by blowing up walls.
* {{Satan}}: Sometimes he offers you to make a [[DealWithTheDevil deal with him]], taking away your heart containers in exchange for powerful items of demonic imagery. [[spoiler:With the Halloween update, he's also the True Final Boss.]]
* SayMyName: '''ISAAAAAAAAC!!!'''
* ScareChord: Played on certain endings and when you enter the Devil Room.
* SecretCharacter: [[spoiler:???, who is actually Dead Baby from one of the Edmund Mcmillen's earlier works]].
* {{Sequential Boss}}es
* SevenDeadlySins: Personifications of these are present in this game as minibosses. Beating all seven unlocks a new item.
* SmartBomb: The death tarot card, Necronomicon, and one of the functions of the Sun tarot card.
* ShoutOut: So, so many.
** The 1-up mushroom that follows you around is [[SuperMarioBrothers green with white spots]].
*** There's also the Magic Mushroom and the Mini Mush, which are direct references to Mario's Super Mushroom and Mini Mushroom
** The HUD and basic rooms are very blatant ones to ''TheLegendOfZelda''.
** Some enemies are also reminiscent of Zelda enemies. The most noticeable are the Chargers (which behave like Ropes) and Knights (which behave like Darknuts).
** Teleportation items may randomly send you to a room with a guy saying "[[ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink I AM ERROR]]"
** The Wrath boss is basically {{Bomberman}}.
** One weapon upgrade is [[{{Ashens}} Sad Onion]].
** Another is Steven, [[TimeFcuk A tiny head that grows out of your skull.]] He also appears as a boss.
** [[TheLegendOfZelda Chub's weakness is eating a bomb.]]
** A number of internet meme faces make an appearance, particularly the Forever Alone and Troll faces, with the latter appearing on bombs which are ready to go off. And let's not forget Shoop-Da-Woop!, which charges ya laser.
*** There is also an enemy type with a distinctive Trollface that will split in half upon gaining enough damage, and the duplicates will split further into even smaller copies, demonstrating the spirit, as well as appearance of the Trollface. In its smallest form it becomes a Pokerface.
** One enemy type is the same species as Gish.
** "Pills Here!" message after picking up a pill is a shout out to Left4Dead.
*** One effect that pills can give you is "[[DukeNukem Balls Of Steel]]", which gives you 2 soul hearts.
** The "My Little Unicorn" item seems to be a shout out to RobotUnicornAttack and MyLittlePony.
** The "Technology" upgrade is a clear reference to [[StarTrek the Borg]].
** Some boss variants are actually characters from other games. For instance, Chub the grub can sometimes turn out as [[MeatBoy C.H.A.D. the blood clot]].
** That fly that buzzes around your head to intercept bullets is [[Music/TheOffspring Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)]].
** A Shovel item that lets you skip a floor has the description "[[{{Inception}} We Need To Go Deeper]]".
** The Parasite power-up resembles the Parasite from the Flash-Game "The Visitor" from fellow Newgrounds contributor Zeebarf.
** When going into the OneWingedAngel form accessible through one of Eve's starting items, the transformation is denoted by the phrase [[CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest "what a horrible night to have a curse"]].
** A Pickup which can be gained from the Shop or Gold Item Room is called "[[SystemOfADown Boom!]]", which gives you 10 bombs. [[spoiler:The song "Boom!" is about how America wastes all its money on bombs instead of it's citizens, thus why Boom! gives you 10 bombs.]]
** The Wire Hanger item is a reference to the film {{Mommie Dearest}}, in which an abusive mother screeches the famous quote: "No more wire hangers ever!"
** One of Death's attacks is [[{{Castlevania}} scattering spinning sickles all over the room, which fly towards the player]].
** Larry Jr. is a HumanCentipede.It makes the pooping that much more disturbing.
* SortingAlgorithmOfWeaponEffectiveness: For the most part items unlocked later aren't any more powerful than those at the beginning... except the familiars, where the ones available at the start fire vanilla bullets and those acquired later have much more exotic and useful attacks. And the health-increasing items, where the unlockable ones generally either heal you or give you some soul hearts as a bonus.
* SpikesOfDoom: These appear in later levels in some of the rooms.
* SequenceBreaking: It's possible to reach [[spoiler:Sheol]] without beating the game ten times by using the "We Need To Go Deeper" item in the supposedly last stage.
* StrawmanPolitical: Isaac's mother.
* StuckItems: Your reusable item can only be replaced with a different one, though depending on the character you might start out empty handed. Likewise, you can only drop a one time use item by picking up a different one, which can be stressful if you end up holding one you know would be detrimental to your health if you accidentally used it.
* SuperStar: The My Little Unicorn and the Gamekid powerup. To a lesser extent the Book of Shadows.
* SurrealHorror
* SwissArmyTears: Isaac's first weapon is his own tears.
* TacticalSuicideBoss: It's tricky, but if you can manage to make Mom stomp on herself, it knocks off a significant chunk of her health.
* TakeThat: A big one against conservative Christianity, and [[OldMediaAreEvil its television and print propaganda.]]
* TakeYourTime: Uniquely for a Roguelike, there is no time limit of any kind, and you can backtrack as much as you want within a floor.
* TarotTroubles: Among items you can pick up are tarot cards with various powers.
* TeleportingKeycardSquad: Taking an item or opening a chest in mob rooms triggers three waves of enemies.
* ToiletHumor
* TooAwesomeToUse: Some of the Tarot cards and the Full Health pill, usable only once. Possibly some of the more powerful subweapons which can only be used once every six rooms.
* TookALevelInBadass: When you fully assemble Meat Boy, he damages enemies by touching them and can tank bullets [[OneHitPointWonder (compared to his durability in his game...)]]
* TurnsRed: All four of the Harbingers, Gemini, Peep to a minor extent, and [[spoiler:Mom's Heart]]. Some are actually less difficult after turning red.
* TreasureIsBiggerInFiction: Coins in this game are large.
* TroubledFetalPosition: Isaac goes through that after each level.
* TrueFinalBoss: [[spoiler:Mom's Heart. It Lives (Yes, that's its name) is an Even Truer Final Boss replacing the True Final Boss...At least until the Halloween update came, in which Satan became the Ultimate Boss of the game.]]
* UndergroundMonkey: In both new model and palette swap flavor. Even a few bosses come in variants, some of which being {{Shout Out}}s to other games.
* UnstableEquilibrium: The end game is either too easy or nigh impossible depending on the items gathered. Some work wonders when complemented by other items, and other times you might as well not bother. [[LuckBasedMission Those items usually randomly given to the player instead of chosen, though.]] The D6 gives some leeway by randomizing items.
* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: [[spoiler:Sheol, unlocked after beating The Womb ten times.]]
* ViolationOfCommonSense: Lampshaded; one of the pills' effects is "I Found Pills (And Ate Them)", which has no effect except to give Isaac a walleyed "derp" face.
* WombLevel
* AWorldwidePunomenon: Everything. ''Everything''.
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome: After everything that just happened, Isaac gets rather surprisingly excited over the items in the endgame chest, including [[spoiler:a hat, a nail, a quarter, a fetus in a jar, a wafer, and some bling]].
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotHeinous: Between levels, Isaac is shown curled in a fetal position having bad dreams, usually with people laughing at him. These dreams range from dying from the fall from one of the level-end trap doors to being given a pile of shit as a birthday present to [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking discovering that there is no toilet paper left.]]
* [[spoiler:WholesomeCrossdresser: Every character, canonically, is just Isaac playing dress-up / being dead. This includes two 'female' characters, Maggie and Eve.]]
** [[spoiler:Also note that Isaac ''wears'' Mom's Lipstick, Heels, and Underwear when he obtains them. The kid has some ''serious'' gender issues.]]
** [[spoiler:Given at least one of the cutscenes that play in between levels, Isaac can somewhat convincingly be interpreted as a {{Transvestite}}; especially if said scenes run while playing Maggie or Eve.]]
* WingedHumanoid: Certain items can give Isaac demon wings.
* WorldOfSymbolism: Downplayed. A lot of the stuff is just creepy, but when you start viewing it through the eyes of an abused child... The choice of the item powerups being definitely creepy:
** HP ups being mostly spoiled milk and dog food, implying what Isaac is usually fed. "Nutritious" foods which give Isaac two hearts of max health include raw liver and buckets of lard.
** Items used to beat/punish Isaac increasing his speed (wooden spoon, belt)
** His pets all dead, presumably killed by Mom. (Tammy's head, Max's head, Eve's dead bird)
** The Virus you often receive for beating Lust is AIDS/HIV.
** The Brother Bobby, Sister Maggy, and wire coat hanger items, implying that Isaac is a failed abortion (unlike his siblings) and an unwanted child. [[{{Hypocrite}} (But isn't abortion against Christian beliefs?)]]
*** [[FridgeHorror They could be]] [[spoiler:stillbirths which Issac's mom kept and gave names. This is something that really happens and it's every bit as horrible as it sounds.]]
** The other characters being alter-egos of Isaac -- he is so lonely he has to make them up in the first place.
* TheWikiRule: [[http://bindingofisaac.wikia.com/wiki/The_Binding_of_Isaac_Wiki Natch.]]
* XMeetsY: ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'' meets ''SuperMeatBoy'' meets ''TheBible''... In {{Roguelike}} style!
** Alternatively, ''TheLegendOfZelda'' meets ''{{Diablo}}'' meets ''InvaderZim''.
* YourSizeMayVary: Just how big ''is'' Isaac's mom? In the cutscenes, she's a normal-sized human being, but her underwear is the right size to be worn by a child visibly smaller than her, in the boss fight her leg is the length of the screen, and then her womb is big enough to have two entire levels in it, with her ''heart'' being larger than Isaac.
----
[[caption-width-right:350:[[ItGotWorse IT.]] [[UpToEleven GETS.]] [[BeyondTheImpossible WORSE.]]]]
''The Binding of Isaac'' is a hybrid {{Roguelike}}/shooter made by Edmund [=McMillen=], a co-creator of MeatBoy, and Florian Himsl.
The story follows Isaac, a young boy who is in possibly the worst situation imaginable. After his mother heard commands from {{God}} that she followed without question, she is commanded to kill her son in sacrifice to prove her devotion. Isaac manages to escape into the basement, and is on the run as he fights off demons both physical and mental, discovers secrets about his mother's past, and ultimately confronts her in an effort to survive.
-----
[[AC:This game provides examples of]]:
* HundredPercentCompletion: The "Golden God" achievement is gotten after getting all the items in the game.
* TwentyPercentMoreAwesome: The video announcement for the Halloween update states that the game is now '20% more evil'.
* {{Abusive Parent|s}}: The Game!
* ActionBomb: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Boom Flies.]]
* AfterActionReport: When you die, you get to see a will listing what killed you and which powerups you picked up.
* AsteroidsMonster: This is the gimmick of a number of enemies, like some of the enemies related to flies. For bosses, Fistula, Envy, and Blastocyst split repeatedly, The Fallen splits once, and Larry Jr. can split if you kill the wrong segment first.
* AttackDrone: Some of the of the powerups.
* AttackItsWeakPoint: There are zombies (known as Knights) which can only be attacked on the back of their heads.
** To clarify, the front of the "Knight" appears to be solid bone or petrified flesh. The only way to actually damage it is to hit it in the back of it's head, the exposed brain.
** Also the ground turrets might classify, unless the skull is red you have to wait for them to get ready for an attack to hit them.
* AwesomeYetImpractical: The Brimstone item. It turns you into a black, horned demon and makes you fire bloody beams that not only deals significant damage, but also pierces enemies, allowing you to quickly clear a room if the enemies are lined up. The price? It's only found in the Devil Room (costs about two hearts) or dropped by The Fallen (a rather difficult boss). And, unless you have one of a few specific powerups like Chocolate Milk or a familiar, you can't attack until it's fully charged (which can take between two and five seconds).
* AxCrazy: Isaac's Mother.
* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:???, a reference to an earlier work by the creator. Monstro II seems to be an undead version of Monstro, the common Basement floor boss.]]
* BadSanta: An update released around Christmas adds the original Bad Santa, Krampus. [[spoiler: He drops a Lump of Coal.]]
* BerserkerTears: {{Invoked|Trope}} (and [[ExploitedTrope weaponized!]]) if you find [[AndYourLittleDogToo Max's Head]]. Finding his dog's severed head makes Isaac's tears bigger and more powerful.
* TheBible: As an item...
* BiblicalMotifs: And a storyline, and a ''ton'' of references.
* BigBad: Isaac's mom.
** The Halloween Update gives us [[spoiler:Satan. Given that you fight him after defeating Mom, he could be TheManBehindTheMan]].
* BigCreepyCrawlies: Lots of maggots down in the basement, some bigger than the others.
* BitingTheHandHumor: {{Inverted|Trope}} ([[StealthInsult or played straight?]]) with the (incredibly useful [[DiscOneNuke if picked up early]]) [[{{Steam}} Steam Sale]] item, which cuts-down all Shop prices by 50%. (rounded down!)
** Considering sales skyrocketed when the game was included in the Voxatron Humble Indie Bundle for charity....
* BlobMonster: There are red wobbly blob things called Clots, monsters of the same species as {{Gish}}, and the boss monster Blastocyst.
* BloodyBowelsOfHell: The game leans heavily towards this over FireAndBrimstoneHell.
* BloodyMurder: Almost all enemies use weaponized blood to attack. With the correct upgrades, Isaac can too.
* BodyHorror: Various enemies you face in the game appear to be mutant children.
** In addition, many of the powers you gain take the form of horrible physical transformations.
* BonusBoss: [[spoiler:{{Satan}}]], from the Halloween Update, who can only be fought by killing the TrueFinalBoss without getting injured, or by killing it ten times. Though perhaps he can qualify as a TrueFinalBoss in his own right.
* BoringButPractical: The battery allows you to charge up your item much faster than usual, if you stick around in combat for a while. Simply kill all but a single enemy, and dodge until you get all you can out of it.
** Likewise, one item allows you to restore half a heart every 13 enemies you kill. One regenerating enemy can regenerate back from the point after they count as a kill for the purpose of this item. Like the above, it's a slow slog to max health, but there's a good chance it's worth the trouble.
*** The same can be true when you're in the later levels and find an arcade. In fact, the more useful it is, the more boring it becomes.
* BossBanter: During her boss battle, Mom will constantly shout Isaac's name at you, in various tones.
** [[spoiler:Satan does the same, too, in his warped, devilish voice. Which can make it hard to understand what he's saying.]]
* BossRush: [[spoiler:This is sorta kinda the case with It Lives. When it summons mooks, it also summons weaker bosses (Monstro, Larry Jr. Chub, ETC.)]]
** [[spoiler:Many of the bosses will also make encore appearances in The Womb and Sheol, sometimes two at once.]]
* BreakTheCutie: It's in the title screen.
* BreatherLevel: Even during the BrutalBonusLevel, there will occasionally be rooms with only a fly or a pair of helpless grubs, which still recharge your special item and have a chance to drop items. There will also always be some empty rooms, and it's possible to spend quite a long time in the arcade with virtually no chance of death.
* BrutalBonusLevel: [[spoiler:The Womb.]]
** And as of the Halloween update, [[spoiler:Sheol.]]
* TheCameo: One of the available powerups is a chunk of meat which, after collecting several, can be used to create a MeatBoy who will follow you and help fight enemies. There's an achievement for finishing him.
** {{Gish}} appears as both a common enemy and a boss, a Host (from a multiplayer Flash game of the same name) makes an appearance as an enemy, and the walls of the Arcade are lined with posters of other [=McMillen=] games like ''TimeFcuk''.
* CartoonBomb: With a skull on it.
* ChargedAttack: The chocolate milk enables a Hold-type attack. Brimstone is also hold-type. However, having both allows Brimstone to fire without needing to charge.
* ChestMonster: Greed, sort of. He takes the place of either a shop or a secret room to ambush you. Which, frustratingly, can mean that a level has no shop at all, even on the last level which can have one.
** A December update gives us [[spoiler: Krampus, who replaces the vendor in Devil Rooms]].
* CollisionDamage: Isaac cannot touch most of the enemies. There's an item which hurts the enemies as well when they touch Isaac.
* ConfusionFu: This is the basic niche of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It basically gives the effect of a random spacebar item per charge.
* CrapsaccharineWorld: Cutesy ThickLineAnimation, adorable characters.... and the horrific monsters they have to beat to avoid becoming a red smear on the basement floor
* CreepyBasement: Hoo, boy.
* CursedWithAwesome: The "curse" that Eve starts the game with. [[spoiler:It gives her a super form when she's reduced to half a heart of health.]]
* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to MeatBoy. And that's [[ItGotWorse saying something.]]
* DeadBabyComedy: Powerups include a dead cat, the head of a dead dog or cat, a wire coat hanger which Isaac sticks through his head to make him cry more, and what appear to be ''two'' dead or possibly aborted siblings.
* DealWithTheDevil: Defeating a boss will sometimes unlock a Devil Door, where you can buy powerful upgrades in exchange for health capacity. One of those upgrades is literally this trope: a pact signed in blood.
* DeathByIrony: [[spoiler:In the normal ending, Mom is killed when one of her own bibles falls from a shelf and drops her.]]
** [[spoiler:TheEndOrIsIt: Just as Isaac appears safe, his mother appears in the background behind him, holding a knife. One's doubt of final victory becomes apparent as all your victory means is that The Womb is unlocked and mother merely 'sleeps'...]]
** With skill, its possible to have [[spoiler:Mom stomp herself]]. And with the proper item, its even possible to [[spoiler:kill her by having her stomp her own foot.]]
** In the aforementioned Devil Doors, you can purchase an item that lets you die 9 times. But if the cost of buying it would kill you? You just straight-up die. And respawn using one of those lives.
* DegradedBoss: Bosses that can appear in earlier levels appear regularly in last levels.
** In the in arenas from The Womb onward, the three-wave fights will often ALL be first floor bosses.
* DenialOfDiagonalAttack: While it is possible to influence the angle of your tears by moving strategically, other than that you'll have to make do with just the basic cardinal directions. Whipping shots becomes impossible with Technology; however, Spoon Bender and similar items have no effect on it.
* DesperationAttack: The Whore of Babylon item, which makes the player much stronger when having only half a heart. Eve starts the game with this item. It's not a Desperation Attack if [[spoiler:???]] picks up this item, as it is always active for him.
* TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything:
** If you try to buy a Devil Room item that costs your remaining Heart Containers, you die instantly. This is actually credited in Isaac's will as a pentagram. You can survive if you have Faith Hearts remaining, but it's tough.
** Not just that, but a pentagram with shaded horns, eyes, and teeth -- it does a very passable impression of the Devil Room vendor himself.
** Speaking of which, getting the right items can make you look suspiciously like the Devil or certain bosses. Enough demonic items can make you look like a miniature version of the Devil Room vendor. Getting both The Virus (deal damage on touch) and Roid Rage (run fast) makes you look almost identical to Lust (acts like "she" has both and can drop The Virus). Getting Mr. Mega makes you look like Wrath, who can drop it occasionally.
* [[spoiler:[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu Isaac, Did You Just Punch Out Satan?]]]]
* DifficultButAwesome:
** [[spoiler:The fetus in a jar]] allows you to shoot bombs instead of tears. On one hand, it can hurt you and it takes good timing. On the other hand, you have limitless bombs and enemies (especially bosses) die REALLY easily.
*** ...[[spoiler:[[MeatBoy Dr. Fetus?!?]]]]
** Eve also has shades of this with her OneWingedAngel form accessible with one of her starter items (see FragileSpeedster[=/=]GlassCannon below for more details).
** Distant Admiration fly. With proper skills, it can kill a boss relatively quickly.
* TheDragon: [[spoiler:The Fallen, a new boss added by the Halloween update, is this to Satan.]]
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:One of the endings has Isaac so traumatized by the experience that he quickly hangs himself when he finds a noose as the final treasure of the game.]]
** [[spoiler: Particularly ending 11, where upon opening the final chest and seeing its contents, Isaac briefly switches through all playable characters. Afterwards, he locks himself into said chest, possibly sealing himself to his own demise. Seeing as ending 10 reveals a dead body inside the final chest...]]
* DungeonBypass: The [[{{Inception}} "We Need to Go Deeper"]] shovel allows you to dig down to the next dungeon level without finding and beating the boss [[ShortCutsMakeLongDelays (and, if you're not judicious about using it, without picking up the powerups you'll eventually need to win the game).]]
* EleventhHourSuperpower: Level 4 Meat Boy, who can only be obtained without bug-exploitation just before the start of the last level of the game. He will crush almost everything on that level with ease if you can stay out of the way for more than a few seconds.
* EliteMooks: Each enemy type has a tougher, tinted / colored version that will almost always drop an item when killed.
** Different colors have different meanings, which are NOT consistent between enemies. An orange Knight won't act like Orange Chub.
* EnemyWithout: Doples, which are giant versions of Isaac, but lacking skin a la Meatboy. They mirror the player's movements, including shooting, but most rooms come with a mechanism with which to destroy them. There are also bombs, and praying that whipped shots will work. The Halloween Update adds demonic versions that fly.
* EmptyRoomUntilTheTrap: Each level may have one specially marked room with a chest or item that, if you open/take it, will trigger three waves of enemies.
* EverythingTryingToKillYou
* EvilIsVisceral
* EvilLaugh: Mom sometimes during the boss fight.
** [[spoiler:Satan also laughs before taking his second form.]]
* EvolvingWeapon: The Cube of Meat, an item that only drops from The Harbinger bosses. Every cube you get increases how effective the powerup is. It also reminds one of [[MeatBoy a certain skinless boy]] after the second cube.
* ExplodingBarrels: Wooden barrel variety.
* EyeScream: Peep's eyes will pop out when he's at 50% and 25% health. The eyes are invincible and cause CollisionDamage, as well as blocking shots meant for Peep.
** Several items inflict this on Isaac, and several enemies have empty eye sockets.
* FacelessEye: Two of the enemies. They shoot EyeBeams or blood streams.
* FanDisservice: When Isaac uses the Mom's Bra item, a picture of his mother's shirtless torso flashes on the screen. A ''very'' unflattering picture of his mother's less-than-fit shirtless torso.
* FaustianRebellion: [[spoiler:The items Satan sells you at the cost of your maximum health often end up making beating him a lot easier.]]
* FeedItABomb: Chub has the exact same weakness as Dodongo of TheLegendOfZelda fame, though he can also be beaten by regular attacks.
* FetusTerrible: The Baby enemies are floating fetuses. [[spoiler:It Lives, the alternate form of Mom's Heart, is also a gigantic evil fetus (Isaac's fetus, to be more precise!).]]
* FlashOfPain: Enemies flash red when hit; player characters flash when struck, and become temporarily invincible.
* FlunkyBoss: Almost every boss in the game, with Gurdy and Mom being the most notorious.
* FragileSpeedster[=/=]GlassCannon: Cain starts off as this.
** LightningBruiser: [[LethalJokeCharacter Though he'll inevitably become this due to the fact that he tends to get lots of good items.]]
** Judas starts as a more extreme version of the first two, having even fewer hearts than Cain, yet being the strongest.
** Thus far, Eve is THE most extreme version of this (especially the former). She starts off with only two hearts & crap attack, but she has monster speed for the start, but that's not the extent of it. The biggest reason why she's such is that she starts off with two items, both dependent on her taking damage. One of them summons a crow when she's been hurt once that lasts for the entire room & acts like a really fast Level 3 Meat Boy. The second one (activating when she only has a half heart left) puts her in a OneWingedAngel state that increases her damage and allows her to take another hit before dying. [[FridgeBrilliance Considering she's designed with an emo[=/=] modern goth aesthetic, with those two subcultures partially known for self-inflicted injury, it makes sense.]]
*** And if that's not indication enough? Beating The Womb with her unlocks the Razor Blade, which raises your attack power in exchange for a few paltry hearts.
** Any character can become this by making enough Deals with the Devil.
* FreudianExcuse
* FullFrontalAssault: All player characters begin naked, as evidenced in the opening movie where Issac first loses all his possessions, toys... and clothing.
* GainaxEnding: All the endings except the first, "Epilogue". The general format is: Isaac beats Mom, goes [[spoiler:inside her womb]] for two more levels and kills [[spoiler:Mom's Heart]], which drops a giant chest. Isaac opens this chest and finds an item which will be available next game, which he is unduly excited about, and optionally something bad happens to him. Especially notable for MindScrew is the "Everything's Terrible!" ending, where [[spoiler:Mom's arm pops out of a chest and drags him in. Yes, her arm popped out of a chest ''in her own womb.'']] No resolution of the plot from the introduction actually occurs. For that matter, the intro plot and normal ending combined make up a story that doesn't really fit with the rest of the game.
** The "final" ending from the update turns this UpToEleven.
%% Please place all GameBreaker examples in the YMMV page.
* GameBreakingBug: One of the new items introduced in the Halloween update, Brimstone, causes Isaac to shoot enormous streams of blood from his mouth. Sounds awesome? Depending on which upgrades you get or currently have, you may end up ''being unable to attack at all''. The boss of the level added at the same time as Brimstone was also initially immune to it due to a bug.
* GodIsGood: [[spoiler:Surprisingly enough. Guess Issac's Mom was just a nutjob after all. Or manipulated by Satan.]]
* {{Gorn}}: Most of the bosses and enemies are quite disgusting, along with several powerups.
* [[GrossoutShow Grossout Game]]
* GrossUpCloseUp: Frequently, especially in matters involving Isaac's mother.
* GuiltBasedGaming: If you try to quit the game, Isaac will ask you "Are you sure you want me to die?"
* HeadlessHorseman: One is added as a boss in the Halloween Update. Amusingly, his floating head charges the player instead of the horse.
* HeartContainer: These can be found here and there, although only one of them resembles a heart.
** It does so in the literal anatomical sense, although it is named <3.
* HeartsAreHealth
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Isaac usually ends up looking about as horrible as many of his enemies.
* HighPressureBlood: Many enemies have blood coming from them with high speed. Examples include gusher with a constant bloodstream from its neck.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:Using the Bible on Mom or Mom's Heart will kill them instantly. There's even an achievement for doing so. ''Inverted'' with the Sheol update, where trying to use the Bible on Satan will kill ''you'' instead.]]
* HorsemenOfTheApocalypse: Unlockable as bosses after beating the game once, though called "The Harbingers".
* InexplicableTreasureChests: Treasure chests are everywhere in the basement of the house. Even more inexplicably in [[spoiler:his mother's Womb.]]
** It's possible to unlock a treasure chest and find ''another'' smaller treasure chest inside, and (although very rare) it's possible that chest has ''another still smaller chest inside it''!
* InfernalRetaliation: Hoppers move twice as fast, jump twice as far, and inflict more damage when they're on fire. [[ItGotWorse It gets better]]: the variety with blood around their neckholes are even less predictable, and can jump high into the air, spewing damaging blood when they come down.
* InfinityPlusOneSword: Isaac's secret starting item. You need to beat the game's true final level ten times, which is quite a lengthy and dangerous task. And after that, you need to beat it once again with the resident JokeCharacter! [[NintendoHard An extremely painful ordeal!]] But if you manage to accomplish this mission, your reward will be...
** [[spoiler:LuckManipulationMechanic: [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome The all-mighty D6 dice!]] An activated item capable of transmuting any collection related item(s) into other random item(s).]]
** Another one shows up in the Halloween Update. [[spoiler:Mom's Knife, which is absurdly powerful.]]
* ImprobableWeaponUser: At the start, Isaac attacks using his tears. He can use various other weapons such as blood, chocolate milk, and urine, to name a few.
* IncrediblyLamePun: "[[CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest What a WHORRIBLE night for a curse!]]"
* InterchangeableAntimatterKeys: In classic Zelda style, any key fits all locks, but disappears once used.
* IronicNurseryTune: Heard in the credits after the very last ending, received from beating the game ten times.
* ItemGet: When picking up an item, tarot card, or a pill, Isaac briefly holds the item over his head. That's why it's sometimes not recommended to pick up pills and cards in the middle of combat.
* ItGotWorse
* JackOfAllStats: Isaac starts as this.
** MasterOfNone: Before you unlock his item. See MagikarpPower and InfinityPlusOneSword.
* JokeCharacter: [[spoiler:???]], unlocked by beating the true form of the game's TrueFinalBoss (you read that right), and who you need to beat it again with to unlock yet another item. He starts with the same stats as Isaac (not even Cain or Judas's improved offensive stats) except all his hearts are soul hearts[[hottip:*:Hearts meant as an 'armor' of sorts for regular hearts. Although they stack on top of your regular hearts, they do not refill and once they are gone, they are gone]] -- and for the entire game, all health upgrades he collects are instead soul hearts, meaning he can never have any health except soul hearts. He does start with an item though! Why yes, play as [[spoiler:???]] and you can start the game with...
* JokeItem: The Poop, which just drops a pile of dung where you're standing and can be used once per room. Maybe it can be used for cover and maybe it can be used to block an enemy chasing you, but virtually any other item is more useful in any situation.
** It's only good in areas with small passages. Note that shooting poop [[RewardingVandalism sometimes spawns a pickup]].
* KingMook: Chub.
* TheKrampus: Added as a boss in the Christmas update. The Krampus will randomly appear in the Devil room with the chances of him increasing the more you visit the room and even more if you actually take items.
* LastDitchMove: Some enemies explode, while some others spawn bullets when killed. For bosses, Steven has a last-ditch move.
* TheLegionsOfHell
* LethalJokeItem: The [[spoiler:Bible]] takes forever to recharge and doesn't even deal damage, but kills the final boss and the TrueFinalBoss in one use. Don't try to use it on the BonusBoss, though. Just don't.
** By extension, the [[spoiler:Rosary]] has a fairly disappointing obvious effect, but it can often be used to cheat the devil out of some of his nicer items without dying and has the side effect of making a [[spoiler:Bible]] more likely in shops, guaranteeing an easy final boss if you get it.
** The Book of Revelations has an appreciable effect, but is likely to be passed over for a more dramatic (and faster charging) item. The Book of Revelations plus the Battery plus patience, however, means one free soul heart per room for the rest of the game. Play conservatively and it's almost impossible to lose. A few other items can be similarly abused.
* LetsPlay: A few on Youtube. One notable example is {{Northernlion}}. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5PLC6nmOO4 Here's]] the first episode. Watch as he goes from complete newbie to expert over the course of 90+ videos!
* LivingApart: In later levels, brain enemies are encountered that are just living brains. There are also rolling guts in the later levels.
* LosingYourHead:
** Some of the enemies can attack the player even after losing their body or head or they just get separated.
** Transcendence removes the player's body, allowing you to float over rocks, pits, spikes, and damaging liquids. One of the better items.
** The Shears and the "The Hanged Man" Tarot card also do this, but only for one room. Also if Isaac has items that make him look demonic [[WingedHumanoid he gets wings instead]].
* LuckBasedMission: The items are not all equally useful, and other than a guarantee of one major item and one shop per level (possibly both behind locked doors you can't open, and the shop could have anything from two hearts to four major items or be replaced by a boss who drops nothing of value) plus a major item dropped by each boss, how many items you get is somewhat random. The pill item is explicitly random in the fashion of Roguelike potions (though it has more positive than negative effects), after-battle rewards are random, and not all bosses are equally hard. Finding an arcade can often mean an end to needing to pay attention to your supply of bombs, keys and/or money for the rest of the game and can also grant some pills and fly shields -- but it's also completely random whether you'll even find one, and getting any items from the games within is also luck-based. Basically, there is always a chance that you will reach the end of the game with a much more or less powered up character than you expected through no fault of your own. On the extreme, it's possible to get absolutely no useful upgrades, all bonuses being activated items that you do not want, or things your character doesn't benefit from at all; on the other side it's possible to get a few bonuses that work well with each other and a lot of arcades along the way, getting to the last level with maximised stats, shots that pass through walls, and twelve hearts.
** [[UpToEleven Acquiring 4 Cubes of Meat!]] It requires you to fight and kill all four Harbingers in a single playthrough... Unfortunately, there's no guarantee you'll encounter all of them in a single run, even after acquiring a Book of Revelations, (another luck mission on itself) which [[InformedAbility supposedly guarantees you]] to fight all of them.
** Doing the no-damage runs is also highly luck-based. Get a room full of five leapers of a long trek to the boss room? You can forget about getting the achievement that run.
*** The RandomNumberGod may drop that room ''several'' times in a row.
** Bosses also constitute to the [[LuckBasedMission luck-based nature of the game]]. Not all of them are equally difficult, and depending on a character you choose and powerups you get, some might be a cake-walk (Larry Jr., Loki, etc.) and some an endless source of frustration (Gurdy for a slow-moving character, Monstro II for people who dislike close-range combat). And since not getting hit (which is more difficult if you get a boss you are faring poorly against) is almost a requirement for getting access to the devil room, which often allows one to balance the odds, [[UnstableEquilibrium the difficulty snowballs depending on how much]] RandomNumberGod loves you.
* LudicrousGibs: The fate of every single enemy you destroy is being turned into these.
* LyingCreator: "BIG HALLOWEEN UPDATE (with no actual lame Halloween themes)". [[spoiler:It once didn't have relevance to the holiday, sure, still, please explain the Headless Horseman.]]
* {{Macrogame}}: Each playthrough is different than the previous one, but with previously found items more likely
* MagikarpPower: After you start unlocking the secret characters, [[OvershadowedByAwesome Isaac becomes a lot less useful]], because the other characters' starting items grant them a great edge over him despite their specialized stats. HOWEVER, if you manage to unlock [[InfinityPlusOneSword his own starting equipment]], he suddenly becomes game's most powerful character!
* MeaningfulName: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binding_of_Isaac The Binding of Isaac.]]
** [[spoiler:ForegoneConclusion: Right down to God preventing the murder/sacrifice at the very last second in at least one ending.]]
* MightyGlacier[=/=]{{Stonewall}}: Magdalene starts off as this.
* TheMinionMaster: It would be easier to list the bosses who ''aren't'' this trope. Special mention goes to the final boss [[spoiler:and TrueFinalBoss]].
* MotherOfAThousandYoung: The normal final boss heavily implies that ''all'' the enemies in the game are Isaac's rejected siblings, along with the NPC turret-allies, and corpses found in the shops and secret rooms.
* MoodDissonance: The Arcade rooms are very nicely furnished and bright, with a very chipper 8 bit remix of the first level theme. It's a bizarre contrast to the rest of the game.
* MookMaker: Several of the bosses, though not all of them. Also one of the enemy types.
** The TrueFinalBoss is a [[MookMaker Degraded Boss Maker]].
* MoneyForNothing: Once you reach [[spoiler:The Womb]], money has very little use.
** [[spoiler:At least until you get your hands on a ''Money = Power'']]
* MultipleEndings
* NintendoHard: No continues. You start with one life, and no guarantee of additional lives being available. If you die, you start all over again. The configurations of rooms and upgrades are randomized and in some situations damage will be unavoidable. Survival depends on reflexes and calculated risk.
* NoCutsceneInventoryInertia: No matter what the player has picked up, the character at the cutscenes is still what he was at the beginning.
** For that matter, it'll still be Isaac no matter which character you're playing as [[spoiler:(although, considering the achievements imply most of the characters are Isaac wearing a PaperThinDisguise of some sort, it may be fitting after all)]].
* NoDamageRun: A no damage run of each area will earn you a Steam Achievement. It's also enforced with at least two characters in different ways.
* NoNameGiven: Mom.
** [[spoiler:MyNameIsQuestionMarks]]: [[spoiler:The last unlockable character is simply called "???"]]
* NoOntologicalInertia: Averted, any flunkies spawned by a boss will not die when the boss does (except in the case of Mom) and must be killed in order to clear the boss room.
* OldMediaAreEvil: The plot and imagery are inspired from inflammatory Christian propaganda from TheEighties, such as the Jack Chick comics.
* OneBadMother
* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:The Nail (unlockable after one of the post-Mom's Heart endings) allows Isaac himself to use this trope for the duration of a room each time it's charged.]] For an example not involving [[spoiler:the nail]], see the Eve entry under FragileSpeedster[=/=]GlassCannon.
** [[spoiler:Satan]]
* PaletteSwap: Enemies with a different color palette. They're stronger but drop items upon death.
* PaperThinDisguise: It's ''heavily'' implied that the unlockable characters are just Isaac wearing these.
* PottyFailure: The item "Lemon Mishap" allows you to lay down a puddle of pee that damages. Also, certain pills will give you bad gas or literally explosive diarrhea. There's also the boss monster Peep, who uses urine as his main weapon.
** CriticalAnnoyance: Isaac leaves puddles of urine every room he enters when he is down to his last hit point.
* PowerupLetdown:
** The cat item. You have eight extra lives, yes. You also have your health bar reduced to one heart (and any health bar increases you find vanish on respawn), and if you die you respawn outside (with your secondary item still used up if you used it and any Faith Hearts still gone) and enemies fully heal. So good luck beating any bosses you couldn't kill on the first try. And those eight extra lives are going to need to last you the entire rest of the game.
** Also the mirror, which turns all your shots into boomerangs that follow you. These have abysmal range (and any range pickups you get make them boomerang further, which is pretty much useless) and behave in goofy ways which can be hard to predict or keep track of because they follow you rather than a trajectory. They could theoretically be useful but you'll probably just get hit more by having to think about them.
** A high speed stat, as well. You'd think it'd be useful, but once you get four or five it becomes very difficult to control the character and prevent yourself from careening into spikes, monsters, fires, shots, etc. Less obvious/problematic with flight.
** In a crossover with CursedWithAwesome is the Bad Trip pill. If you use it with the usual health bar (as you likely are, testing pills), you suffer 1 heart's worth of damage - but if used while at exactly one remaining heart of health, it acts as a Full Health pill.
* PowerupMagnet: There's a Magneto powerup which attracts powerups even through rocks and over gaps.
* PsychopathicManchild: Several bosses give this impression due to the goofy, yet deranged smiles they make when attacking.
* PunnyName: Isaac means "He laughed".
* RefugeInAudacity
* ResetButton: Forget Me Now, an item unlocked by [[spoiler: defeating Satan with ???]]. It starts you over from the beginning of the current level with a new layout and new monsters, including the boss. Why would you want to use this? The reset level also has new items, giving you more opportunities to power up your character. The only problem is that Forget Me Now is a one time use spacebar item, forcing you to abandon your current spacebar item and beginning the reset level with that item slot empty.
* ReviveKillsZombie: [[spoiler:The Bible]], while normally dealing no damage, kills Mom [[spoiler:and Mom's Heart]] instantly.
* RewardingVandalism: Occasionally, destroying poop and putting out fires drops an item. Rocks with a small X on them (usually identifiable by their color) will also drop an item when bombed. And then there's the secret rooms, which are revealed by blowing up walls.
* {{Satan}}: Sometimes he offers you to make a [[DealWithTheDevil deal with him]], taking away your heart containers in exchange for powerful items of demonic imagery. [[spoiler:With the Halloween update, he's also the True Final Boss.]]
* SayMyName: '''ISAAAAAAAAC!!!'''
* ScareChord: Played on certain endings and when you enter the Devil Room.
* SecretCharacter: [[spoiler:???, who is actually Dead Baby from one of the Edmund Mcmillen's earlier works]].
* {{Sequential Boss}}es
* SevenDeadlySins: Personifications of these are present in this game as minibosses. Beating all seven unlocks a new item.
* SmartBomb: The death tarot card, Necronomicon, and one of the functions of the Sun tarot card.
* ShoutOut: So, so many.
** The 1-up mushroom that follows you around is [[SuperMarioBrothers green with white spots]].
*** There's also the Magic Mushroom and the Mini Mush, which are direct references to Mario's Super Mushroom and Mini Mushroom
** The HUD and basic rooms are very blatant ones to ''TheLegendOfZelda''.
** Some enemies are also reminiscent of Zelda enemies. The most noticeable are the Chargers (which behave like Ropes) and Knights (which behave like Darknuts).
** Teleportation items may randomly send you to a room with a guy saying "[[ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink I AM ERROR]]"
** The Wrath boss is basically {{Bomberman}}.
** One weapon upgrade is [[{{Ashens}} Sad Onion]].
** Another is Steven, [[TimeFcuk A tiny head that grows out of your skull.]] He also appears as a boss.
** [[TheLegendOfZelda Chub's weakness is eating a bomb.]]
** A number of internet meme faces make an appearance, particularly the Forever Alone and Troll faces, with the latter appearing on bombs which are ready to go off. And let's not forget Shoop-Da-Woop!, which charges ya laser.
*** There is also an enemy type with a distinctive Trollface that will split in half upon gaining enough damage, and the duplicates will split further into even smaller copies, demonstrating the spirit, as well as appearance of the Trollface. In its smallest form it becomes a Pokerface.
** One enemy type is the same species as Gish.
** "Pills Here!" message after picking up a pill is a shout out to Left4Dead.
*** One effect that pills can give you is "[[DukeNukem Balls Of Steel]]", which gives you 2 soul hearts.
** The "My Little Unicorn" item seems to be a shout out to RobotUnicornAttack and MyLittlePony.
** The "Technology" upgrade is a clear reference to [[StarTrek the Borg]].
** Some boss variants are actually characters from other games. For instance, Chub the grub can sometimes turn out as [[MeatBoy C.H.A.D. the blood clot]].
** That fly that buzzes around your head to intercept bullets is [[Music/TheOffspring Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)]].
** A Shovel item that lets you skip a floor has the description "[[{{Inception}} We Need To Go Deeper]]".
** The Parasite power-up resembles the Parasite from the Flash-Game "The Visitor" from fellow Newgrounds contributor Zeebarf.
** When going into the OneWingedAngel form accessible through one of Eve's starting items, the transformation is denoted by the phrase [[CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest "what a horrible night to have a curse"]].
** A Pickup which can be gained from the Shop or Gold Item Room is called "[[SystemOfADown Boom!]]", which gives you 10 bombs. [[spoiler:The song "Boom!" is about how America wastes all its money on bombs instead of it's citizens, thus why Boom! gives you 10 bombs.]]
** The Wire Hanger item is a reference to the film {{Mommie Dearest}}, in which an abusive mother screeches the famous quote: "No more wire hangers ever!"
** One of Death's attacks is [[{{Castlevania}} scattering spinning sickles all over the room, which fly towards the player]].
** Larry Jr. is a HumanCentipede.It makes the pooping that much more disturbing.
* SortingAlgorithmOfWeaponEffectiveness: For the most part items unlocked later aren't any more powerful than those at the beginning... except the familiars, where the ones available at the start fire vanilla bullets and those acquired later have much more exotic and useful attacks. And the health-increasing items, where the unlockable ones generally either heal you or give you some soul hearts as a bonus.
* SpikesOfDoom: These appear in later levels in some of the rooms.
* SequenceBreaking: It's possible to reach [[spoiler:Sheol]] without beating the game ten times by using the "We Need To Go Deeper" item in the supposedly last stage.
* StrawmanPolitical: Isaac's mother.
* StuckItems: Your reusable item can only be replaced with a different one, though depending on the character you might start out empty handed. Likewise, you can only drop a one time use item by picking up a different one, which can be stressful if you end up holding one you know would be detrimental to your health if you accidentally used it.
* SuperStar: The My Little Unicorn and the Gamekid powerup. To a lesser extent the Book of Shadows.
* SurrealHorror
* SwissArmyTears: Isaac's first weapon is his own tears.
* TacticalSuicideBoss: It's tricky, but if you can manage to make Mom stomp on herself, it knocks off a significant chunk of her health.
* TakeThat: A big one against conservative Christianity, and [[OldMediaAreEvil its television and print propaganda.]]
* TakeYourTime: Uniquely for a Roguelike, there is no time limit of any kind, and you can backtrack as much as you want within a floor.
* TarotTroubles: Among items you can pick up are tarot cards with various powers.
* TeleportingKeycardSquad: Taking an item or opening a chest in mob rooms triggers three waves of enemies.
* ToiletHumor
* TooAwesomeToUse: Some of the Tarot cards and the Full Health pill, usable only once. Possibly some of the more powerful subweapons which can only be used once every six rooms.
* TookALevelInBadass: When you fully assemble Meat Boy, he damages enemies by touching them and can tank bullets [[OneHitPointWonder (compared to his durability in his game...)]]
* TurnsRed: All four of the Harbingers, Gemini, Peep to a minor extent, and [[spoiler:Mom's Heart]]. Some are actually less difficult after turning red.
* TreasureIsBiggerInFiction: Coins in this game are large.
* TroubledFetalPosition: Isaac goes through that after each level.
* TrueFinalBoss: [[spoiler:Mom's Heart. It Lives (Yes, that's its name) is an Even Truer Final Boss replacing the True Final Boss...At least until the Halloween update came, in which Satan became the Ultimate Boss of the game.]]
* UndergroundMonkey: In both new model and palette swap flavor. Even a few bosses come in variants, some of which being {{Shout Out}}s to other games.
* UnstableEquilibrium: The end game is either too easy or nigh impossible depending on the items gathered. Some work wonders when complemented by other items, and other times you might as well not bother. [[LuckBasedMission Those items usually randomly given to the player instead of chosen, though.]] The D6 gives some leeway by randomizing items.
* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: [[spoiler:Sheol, unlocked after beating The Womb ten times.]]
* ViolationOfCommonSense: Lampshaded; one of the pills' effects is "I Found Pills (And Ate Them)", which has no effect except to give Isaac a walleyed "derp" face.
* WombLevel
* AWorldwidePunomenon: Everything. ''Everything''.
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome: After everything that just happened, Isaac gets rather surprisingly excited over the items in the endgame chest, including [[spoiler:a hat, a nail, a quarter, a fetus in a jar, a wafer, and some bling]].
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotHeinous: Between levels, Isaac is shown curled in a fetal position having bad dreams, usually with people laughing at him. These dreams range from dying from the fall from one of the level-end trap doors to being given a pile of shit as a birthday present to [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking discovering that there is no toilet paper left.]]
* [[spoiler:WholesomeCrossdresser: Every character, canonically, is just Isaac playing dress-up / being dead. This includes two 'female' characters, Maggie and Eve.]]
** [[spoiler:Also note that Isaac ''wears'' Mom's Lipstick, Heels, and Underwear when he obtains them. The kid has some ''serious'' gender issues.]]
** [[spoiler:Given at least one of the cutscenes that play in between levels, Isaac can somewhat convincingly be interpreted as a {{Transvestite}}; especially if said scenes run while playing Maggie or Eve.]]
* WingedHumanoid: Certain items can give Isaac demon wings.
* WorldOfSymbolism: Downplayed. A lot of the stuff is just creepy, but when you start viewing it through the eyes of an abused child... The choice of the item powerups being definitely creepy:
** HP ups being mostly spoiled milk and dog food, implying what Isaac is usually fed. "Nutritious" foods which give Isaac two hearts of max health include raw liver and buckets of lard.
** Items used to beat/punish Isaac increasing his speed (wooden spoon, belt)
** His pets all dead, presumably killed by Mom. (Tammy's head, Max's head, Eve's dead bird)
** The Virus you often receive for beating Lust is AIDS/HIV.
** The Brother Bobby, Sister Maggy, and wire coat hanger items, implying that Isaac is a failed abortion (unlike his siblings) and an unwanted child. [[{{Hypocrite}} (But isn't abortion against Christian beliefs?)]]
*** [[FridgeHorror They could be]] [[spoiler:stillbirths which Issac's mom kept and gave names. This is something that really happens and it's every bit as horrible as it sounds.]]
** The other characters being alter-egos of Isaac -- he is so lonely he has to make them up in the first place.
* TheWikiRule: [[http://bindingofisaac.wikia.com/wiki/The_Binding_of_Isaac_Wiki Natch.]]
* XMeetsY: ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda'' meets ''SuperMeatBoy'' meets ''TheBible''... In {{Roguelike}} style!
** Alternatively, ''TheLegendOfZelda'' meets ''{{Diablo}}'' meets ''InvaderZim''.
* YourSizeMayVary: Just how big ''is'' Isaac's mom? In the cutscenes, she's a normal-sized human being, but her underwear is the right size to be worn by a child visibly smaller than her, in the boss fight her leg is the length of the screen, and then her womb is big enough to have two entire levels in it, with her ''heart'' being larger than Isaac.
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