There have been many interviews with Edmund McMillen centering around what drove the creation of The Binding of Isaac. One frequently asked question centers around the religious themes present in the game. McMillen explains that his dad's side of the family embodies a lot of the negative aspects of Christianity, saying, "Everybody's going to Hell. I'm going to go to Hell because I'm playing D&D, I'm playing Magic [The Gathering], and you're chastised for every little thing (Grayson 2012). However, Christianity has also had a positive impact on his life: one of McMillen's greatest supporters was his grandma, a strong believer in Catholicism.
Isaac's creation stems from a determination to address taboo themes in a gamified form combined with an attitude unafraid of controversy. A quote from McMillen reads, "I strongly believe that this adult conversation I dove into with Isaac is what made the game stand out to people and kept them thinking" (2012). It's certain to say that he didn't expect his indie title to be the massive hit that it became. McMillen thought, "This is going to be way too heavy and weird and dark for people to enjoy. But that was what was most interesting, so I kept going with it - kept pushing and pushing and pushing" (Grayson 2012). It's ironic that The Binding of Isaac has now arguably gained more popularity than Super Meat Boy: McMillen's first game that he considered "playing it safe."
Clearly the same facets that make Isaac contentious are also the reasons why so many enjoy it: a lot of people are drawn to the game's mixed perception on religion, simple, yet somewhat vulgar, art style, and its blasphemous takes on heavy topics (pun intended). As an ex-Catholic, I personally resonate with this game in quite a personal way. At the same time, however, The Binding of Isaac has many aspects that almost anyone can enjoy, such as the intense gameplay, the amazing music, and the endless replay value. Although I've owned this game for less than a month, I'm glad I could create this tribute page for it in order to explore it in a meaningful way and give it the praise it most definitely deserves.
