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Will we ever get a roguelike as good as The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ in our lifetime?

Lunchbox

Lunchbox

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Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,548
Rip City
I have 1000 hours into this & it's by far my most played game ever despite taking suggestions on other games like Spelunky, Flinthook etc. nothing gets it quite like this game; the item variety and moment to moment gameplay have left me spoiled I guess, I keep trying to move on but it makes me feel like I don't even like the genre I just like Isaac which makes me sad.

I'm just stuck waiting for the next one I assume but if anyone has other suggestions please throw them at me.
 
DaiJyoubs

DaiJyoubs

Member
Oct 25, 2017
496
Dead cells but not even that kept me like Isaac did. That game is a freaking masterpiece.
My best suggestion: get the new Isaac expansion that comes out this year 🙃
 
OP
OP
Lunchbox

Lunchbox

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Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,548
Rip City
Mike Rambo said:
If you haven't played gungeon yet, it completely superseded Isaac for me
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That's didn't grab me at all, the gun variety was lacking and just the variety and gameplay systems in general were not close to as engaging. I did enjoy buying items for future runs though.
 

sheaaaa

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
1,556
Moment to moment gameplay of Isaac doesn't even come close to the likes of Gungeon, Spelunky, Monolith and Dead Cells. All are drastically better games than Isaac.
 
ChrisD

ChrisD

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,606
Your Binding of Isaac is my Spelunky. Like, Slay the Spire has recently grabbed my attention in a way that most roguelike games don't. But I'm pretty sure that there will probably never be another Spelunky for me. Like, it's basically "perfect."

(This thread reminds me I do need to give Isaac another shot, as well as Gungeon; need to buy Dead Cells)
 

Deleted member 31817

Nov 7, 2017
30,876
I couldn't get into Isaac at all. I just don't enjoy the core gameplay.

I have two friends that both play it religiously though.
 
napkins

napkins

Member
Nov 18, 2017
1,916
I prefer Monolith. The random elements seem fair and being able to move across rooms quickly and even fast travel to any room you've been to on floor you're currently on also keep things moving quickly. I tried Isaac again recently, but it didn't click for me. But I think I might try again.
 
Horned Reaper

Horned Reaper

Member
Nov 7, 2017
1,560
The moment to moment gameplay is far from great in my opinion. It's the game breaking powerup synergies which makes it unique.
 
RockmanBN

RockmanBN

Visited by Knack - One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
27,940
Cornfields
Tbh I liked Isaac Rebirth until the Afterbirth DLC. Item pool balance feels worse with all the new tear modifiers and not enough stat changing ones to balance it out and all the new bosses with scaling damage. Scaling damage is no fun and makes great runs feel like crap especially on Delirium. Really hope Repentance fixes all these issues this Summer.
 
Ricelord

Ricelord

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
6,465
3046946-gungeonhead.jpg


look deep inside your heart OP, you know this is the answer.
 
Ninjician-

Ninjician-

Member
Oct 29, 2017
443
I had a friend that was completely turned off by the narrative of BOI. I love it.

I couldn't get into Gungeon, but I feel like I want to break it like I break Isaac.

Dead Cells is a close second.
 
Aprikurt

Aprikurt

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 29, 2017
18,775
I love Isaac but Spelunky is the GOAT and I dread to think of my playtime once it launches on Switch.

I really don't get the fuss with Gungeon at all.
 
bixente

bixente

Member
Jan 27, 2019
2,248
Dead Cells is my favourite. I like that some of your progress carries over to your next run, rather than losing everything. And I just enjoy the core gameplay itself. Controls great.
 
Cincaid

Cincaid

Member
Oct 28, 2017
687
Sweden
I agree OP, I have hundreds and hundreds of hours in that game across several platforms. I just wish that they supported PS4 and Xbox One better, as the publisher Nicalis comes off having a very off-putting attitude towards anything that isn't PC or Nintendo Switch. I doubt the next expansion will be released day one, or at all, on my preferred platforms.
 
Ahti

Ahti

Unshakable Resolve
Member
Nov 6, 2017
9,171
Yes, it`s going to be released this year and is currently in Early Access:

Hades

Don`t forget to pet the dog.
ThreeHeadedBoy_Short.gif
 

Holundrian

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,134
Never took that much to Isaac. Hades even in EA is one of my favorite roguelikes outside of that I tend to like a lot of roguelikes that seem to merge with other genres like Into the Breach or Slay the Spire.
 
Jerm411

Jerm411

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,014
Clinton, MO
BOI is a top 5 game of all time for me...love it, easily my favorite roguelike.

Still play it religiously on Switch.

Still holding out for a sequel, don't know if we'll get it though.
 
Exile In Mudville

Exile In Mudville

Member
May 10, 2019
675
I honestly thought Isaac kinda sucked.

Dead Cells, Tangledeep, Dungeons of Dredmor, Monolith, and Black Future '88 are all fucking pro though.
 
Kyuuji

Kyuuji

The Favonius Fox
Member
Nov 8, 2017
31,962
I'll echo others on Slay the Spire. Loved TBoI and it's the only one close to gripping me as hard.
 
XSX

XSX

Member
Oct 31, 2017
2,164
Isaac is one of my favourite games of all time, I agree. Dead Cells is decent. Gungeon the controls feel weird to me for some reason (switch). And I know this is a hot take but Spelunky is good but highly overrated.

David___ said:
There's a new expansion coming out later in the year but I doubt theres going to be a full on sequel
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Click to shrink...



There is hope! :p
 

Deleted member 2620

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,491
Isaac is a game that I don't think I'll ever get over the aesthetic hurdle with. It also seems like power up combinations are a massive part of the game? If so that doesn't sound up my alley.

Gungeon is cool, though, and Monolith cooler still.

I initially was hesitant to bring up Downwell (which I like more than the above) because I don't see it in the same genre, but if Slay the Spire is coming up in this thread then yeah, I'll throw in Downwell and the arcade heavy hitters like Psikyo and Raizing's games (which kinda trounce everything else in this post for me lol).
 
OP
OP
Lunchbox

Lunchbox

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Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,548
Rip City
I'll try Slay the Spire I heard it gets really restrictive with deck building towards bosses you know you'll have to face late game but maybe I can get some good fun out of it.
 
Nali

Nali

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,649
If Spelunky 2 can manage to be an improvement on the original, it's going to be mindbogglingly amazing.
 
GokouD

GokouD

Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,124
Totally different gameplay, but the same genre, I don't think anything will beat Into The Breach for me.
 
spineduke

spineduke

Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
8,745
Gungeon is super vanilla compared to Isaac plus all its expansions. Nothing comes close if you're looking for synergy + item variety.

You can try Bumbo, its a card deck flavored variant of Isaac

Other recommends that people have thrown in

Monolith (similar formula, a bit vanilla but its wonderfully executed - check out the DLC as well)


Hades (again, more vanilla but fun to play, lots of unlocks to go for)


Synthetik (this is military themed, and you have a lot of weapons/items to play with)


Noita (not quite the same but the game gives huge flexbility to fashion wands that can do unpredictable, and often destructive things)
 
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LossAversion

LossAversion

The Merchant of ERA
Member
Oct 28, 2017
10,659
Not hating on Isaac but pretty much every other roguelike that I've tried has been more enjoyable for me.

Wizard of Legend, Enter The Gungeon, Rogue Legacy, FTL, etc. Whether it was the feel of the combat, the overall aesthetic, or the gameplay style... I'd take any of those over Isaac.
 
kittens

kittens

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,237
I found the gameplay in Isaac really difficult to get into. I hated the feel of the game.
 
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