What To Do After the End of The Binding of Isaac?
So, you’ve “beaten” The Binding of Isaac. Congratulations! You’ve navigated the basement’s horrors, vanquished grotesque bosses, and maybe even seen an ending or two. But is that really it? Absolutely not! The Binding of Isaac, especially in its final form Repentance, is a game of immense depth and replayability. “Beating the game” is merely the starting line for a whole new level of challenges and discoveries.
The real question isn’t what to do after the end, but what to do next. The “end” in Binding of Isaac is more of a checkpoint. It’s the point where more of the game begins to unlock. If you’ve only beaten the game once, or a few times, you have barely scratched the surface. Here’s your roadmap:
Unlocking The True Depth of The Binding of Isaac
The immediate goal post-initial victories is to delve deeper into the endgame content. The game actually has multiple “endings,” and a true “final” boss battle to achieve. Here’s a general progression of what to focus on:
Beyond Isaac and Satan: The Polaroid and The Negative
Your first task is to unlock the ability to proceed past Isaac and Satan themselves. Here’s how:
- The Polaroid: Defeat Isaac five times. This unlocks the Polaroid item. Next time, Mom will guarantee you get this item after her defeat. Hold this item, defeat Isaac, and you’ll progress further, unlocking the Cathedral floor.
- The Negative: Defeat Satan five times. This unlocks the Negative item. Similar to the Polaroid, Mom will then guarantee its drop. Hold the Negative, defeat Satan, and you’ll unlock the Sheol floor.
Continuing the Journey
The Polaroid and Negative are your keys to progressing beyond the initial bosses. With the Polaroid or Negative, you will not fight them after defeating Mom’s Heart. Instead, you will go to the next level, being The Cathedral or Sheol respectively. These unlocks open up much more of the game.
Unlocking More Endings
The Binding of Isaac features over 16 different endings in the base game Rebirth and has added more through each expansion. Each is unlocked by defeating the bosses at the end of chapters 3-6, including the Hush, Delirium, and others.
The Path to the True Ending
Repentance adds a final, true ending that requires a more complicated path:
- Collect three Knife Pieces scattered throughout Mausoleum and Gehenna.
- Upon reaching Mausoleum/Gehenna 2, you will now see a red fleshy door.
- Use the collected Knife Pieces to open it.
- Prepare to fight the final boss behind this door.
100% Completion: The Ultimate Challenge
For completionists, 100%ing The Binding of Isaac is a monumental task. It requires:
- Unlocking all characters.
- Defeating all bosses with each character.
- Completing all challenges.
- Finding and unlocking all items.
- Earning all achievements.
This is a massive undertaking and can take hundreds of hours. This is where the true depth of Isaac’s replayability shines through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further illuminate your path through the post-game content of The Binding of Isaac:
1. How many endings are there in The Binding of Isaac?
There are at least 20 endings in The Binding of Isaac: Repentance with additional endings added through expansions. The exact number can vary slightly depending on whether or not you include the ending credits themselves as separate endings.
2. How do I unlock the final true ending in Repentance?
As detailed above, the true ending involves collecting three knife pieces, reaching a red door in Mausoleum/Gehenna 2, and defeating the boss beyond it.
3. What does beating the game mean in The Binding of Isaac?
Initially, beating the game means defeating either Isaac or Satan. However, this is just the beginning, as you’ll unlock the ability to go further past these bosses with Polaroid and Negative. “Beating” the game in its truest form means unlocking the true ending of Repentance.
4. How do I unlock new characters?
New characters are unlocked by completing various objectives, such as beating the game a certain number of times or completing specific challenges. Blue Baby, for example, is unlocked after beating the game 10 times.
5. What is the canon ending of The Binding of Isaac?
The generally accepted canon ending is the one where Isaac dies by suffocation in his toy chest. The events of the game are then his delusions as he dies. This is often referred to as Ending 12.
6. Is Repentance the last DLC for The Binding of Isaac?
Yes, Repentance is the final DLC for The Binding of Isaac, according to developer Edmund McMillen. However, a sequel has been teased.
7. What order should I play the DLCs?
The recommended order is: Rebirth, Afterbirth, Afterbirth+, then Repentance. Each expansion builds upon the last and will not run without all previous ones installed.
8. How long does it take to 100% The Binding of Isaac: Repentance?
Achieving 100% completion in The Binding of Isaac: Repentance can take around 500-600 hours, depending on individual skill and playstyle.
9. Why is Isaac crying blood?
Isaac’s bloody tears are a combination of the game’s dark themes and item combinations. For example, combining items like Stigmata and Chemical Peel causes Isaac to become a burn victim crying blood.
10. How do I unlock Azazel?
Azazel is unlocked by making three Devil Deals in a single run. He is a powerful character who starts with flight and a short-range brimstone.
11. What is Antibirth?
Antibirth is a large, fan-made mod for Rebirth. It adds a vast amount of new content, including items, enemies, floors, bosses, and more. The official Repentance DLC was heavily influenced by this fan-made expansion.
12. What are “wins” in Binding of Isaac?
A “win” is generally counted as beating Mom’s Heart or going past Isaac or Satan into further levels. Wins unlock achievements and are often tied to unlockable characters and items. Intentionally defeating Isaac or Satan without the items to continue to chapter 6 also counts as a win.
13. How do I get to the Isaac boss fight?
Isaac is the boss of The Cathedral. You can access this floor by either defeating Mom’s Heart 11 times and then It Lives, or by entering an Angel Room and touching the beam of light that appears.
14. What happens after Dead God?
The “Dead God” achievement requires you to have collected every item, beaten every boss with every character and completed all challenges. After that, there is nothing new to unlock. At that point you would start the process again from a new save file or just play for fun.
15. Is there a Binding of Isaac 2?
A Binding of Isaac 2 is planned, but not in the near future. The developers want to allow the original game its time to shine with its content.
Conclusion
The Binding of Isaac is more than just a series of runs. It’s an intricate tapestry of randomness, skill, and dark humor. The “end” is just a new beginning, offering hundreds of hours of content for those willing to dive deep. Don’t stop at just beating Isaac or Satan; unlock the true ending, challenge yourself, and explore all the secrets that this incredible game has to offer. Good luck, and may your runs be filled with powerful items and satisfying victories!