The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+

Some of the additions in Afterbirth break whatever thematic cohesion might have existed more than what has come before. Laser-cyborg Isaac doesn't quite fit with my reading of the game but then, what the hell, maybe it's just a game about shit, blood and tears after all. And it's a fantastic example of the form.

You should absolutely play Afterbirth. If you're already an Isaac diehard, or someone fresh to the genre, Afterbirth has hours upon hours of genuine joy in store for you. But you should know it will also have moments of soul-annihilating frustration. Maybe that's the price for flying so close to perfection.

Nicalis has shown up the majority of developers with Afterbirth, highlighting how overpriced and lacklustre some Season Passes can be. The Binding of Isaac fans will be overjoyed with this rather generous package, which is filled to the brim(stone) with new content that will keep you greedily returning for more.

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth deserves every member of its rabid fanbase.

The game, however, doesn't come without detriments - As a rougelike, you can expect the game to kick your arse, over, and over, and over again, especially when first starting out; learning different attack patterns and clearing hectic rooms can be a pain, and can easily harm your enjoyment when you get owned by an inescapable attack in some later instances - Another issue is the lack of proper stat tracking and item explanation; whilst on PC this can be remedied by using Missing HUD 2, console and portable players are stuck up creek without a paddle, sadly. This can be annoying when you need to quit out and check exactly what an item does, only to be confused and have it ruin an amazing run. However, once you learn more of the game, overcome the difficulty, and start to experience some of the wacky and crazy combos you can execute, I'm sure that no matter what kind of gamer you are, you'll be hooked!

Afterbirth is a weighty expansion, filled to the brim with content, to a game which was already no slouch when it came to things to do. What may be regarded as 'the base game' is challenging, enjoyable and intriguing and worthy of the purchase. What sets Afterbirth apart from those foundations is the mechanical minutiae, providing hundreds upon hundreds of hours of exploration, competition, and manic fun.

If you liked Rebirth, you'd be doing yourself a major disservice by not treating yourself to Afterbirth.

The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth adds more replayability to an already endlessly replayable game. The wealth of new content will keep new and seasoned players alike coming back for more. While the fresh challenges are fun and Greed Mode adds a new spin, more new ways to play with the Isaac franchise would make the Afterbirth expansion top-notch.

'Afterbirth' is an expensive addition when compared to its base game, but it is truly an expansion. To the right player it will provide far more entertainment than a AAA season pass typically would, and at a fraction of the price. If I thought I had a problem quitting Isaac before, I might as well stop trying now.

"The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth" is a great re-release of a great game. With its gameplay that pushes you to improve from game to game and its simple but effective artistic direction you will not even notice all the hours it will have taken away from you until you read them on the Steam counter.