PCGame

The Binding of Isaac

Top-down action roguelike with randomized dungeons and transformative items

Edmund McMillen, Florian Himsl · Published by Edmund McMillen · Released Sep 28, 2011

ActionAdventureIndieRPG

Reviews
Very Positive
94% of 53K
Recent reviews
Very Positive
90% of 120 in 30 days
Players
150
daily peak, Nov 7, 2026
Steam Deck
Playable
Last update on Steam
2 years ago
Nov 5, 2024
Minimum PC
Direct X9.0c Compatible
1 GB RAM · 0.1 GB disk
Full requirements

Metacritic: 84/100 (critic reviews)

What is The Binding of Isaac?

A top-down, single-player action roguelike set in a basement of randomly generated rooms. As Isaac, you shoot enemies with tears, dodge attacks, collect items that alter his form and abilities, uncover secrets, and fight bosses after fleeing his mother’s demand for a sacrifice.

For you if...

  • +you enjoy difficult runs shaped by random items and rooms
  • +you like experimenting with item combinations and unlocks
  • +you want dark themes and a grim soundtrack

Not for you if...

  • −you dislike restarting after deaths or unreliable random outcomes
  • −you want a relaxed, forgiving action game
  • −you want multiplayer rather than a single-player challenge

What players say

94% of 53,280 reviews are positive · 90% of 120 in the last 30 days

Players praise the repeatable randomized runs, item combinations, challenge, and soundtrack. The most common complaint is that the original feels clunky, unbalanced, and dated beside Rebirth; some players also report crashes, slow startup, and controller setup problems.

Players over time

▼ -27% vs a month ago

Players online on Steam, one sample a day.

Highest since Sep 2026: 227 players on Oct 5, 2026.

Show the data
DayPlayers
Nov 7, 2026150
Nov 6, 2026131
Nov 5, 2026158
Nov 4, 2026145
Nov 3, 2026152
Nov 2, 2026148
Nov 1, 2026139
Oct 31, 2026163
Oct 30, 2026145
Oct 29, 2026162
Oct 28, 2026150
Oct 27, 2026106
Oct 27, 2026136
Oct 26, 2026162
Oct 25, 2026174
Oct 24, 2026170
Oct 23, 2026165
Oct 22, 20260
Oct 21, 2026142
Oct 20, 2026146
Oct 19, 2026143
Oct 18, 2026165
Oct 17, 2026165
Oct 16, 2026186
Oct 15, 2026170
Oct 14, 2026175
Oct 13, 2026185
Oct 12, 2026200
Oct 11, 2026178
Oct 10, 2026204
Oct 9, 2026183
Oct 8, 2026194
Oct 7, 2026214
Oct 6, 2026211
Oct 5, 2026227
Oct 4, 2026211
Oct 3, 2026224
Oct 2, 2026168
Oct 1, 2026194
Sep 30, 2026190
Sep 29, 2026178
Sep 28, 2026162
Sep 27, 2026169
Sep 26, 2026163
Sep 25, 2026170
Sep 24, 2026168
Sep 23, 2026133
Sep 23, 2026145
Sep 22, 2026152
Sep 21, 2026224

How many players finish The Binding of Isaac?

30% of Steam players have unlocked «I Killed Mom!», the achievement for finishing the main story.

Share of everyone who owns the game on Steam, including those who barely played it. Updated weekly.

Screenshots and trailer

The Binding of Isaac screenshot 1

The Binding of Isaac system requirements

Minimum: Direct X9.0c Compatible, 1 GB RAM, 0.1 GB of disk space.

As published by the developer.

Can my PC run The Binding of Isaac?

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Minimum

OS
Windows XP, Vista, 7
Processor
2.5 GHz
Graphics
Direct X9.0c Compatible Card
Memory
1GB
Storage
50MB

Does The Binding of Isaac have co-op or multiplayer?

No: single-player only, no multiplayer modes declared.

Does The Binding of Isaac run on Steam Deck?

Playable Playable: it runs on Steam Deck with some adjustments.

  • Default controller config not fully functional
  • Sometimes shows mouse, keyboard or non-Deck controller icons
  • The native resolution is not the default one
  • In-game text is legible on Steam Deck
  • Default graphics settings perform well on Steam Deck

PC version details

DRM
None declared on Steam
Controller
Keyboard and mouse
Platforms
Windows, macOS
Achievements
99
Steam features
Family Sharing, Trading cards
Languages
Full audio: English.

Does The Binding of Isaac use AI-generated content?

No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.

Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Nov 6, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam

Tags

Recent updates

1 DLC available.

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