The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

When you see a game created by the same people who made Super Meat Boy, you can expect something good. Originally released in 2011, The Binding of Isaac was that and more. It offered hundreds of hours of addictive gameplay and tons of replay value. Now comes the remake, The Binding of Isacc: Rebirth, one of last year's biggest indie hits.

When it comes to the story, Rebirth is an adapted retelling of the Abraham and Isaac stories from The Bible. Abraham had to prove his faith to God by killing his only son, Isaac. But God sends an angel and everything works out in the end, with only an innocent lamb dying. In this brand new game, it's a mother, and the little kid sees other way than to fight.

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After a brief tutorial, the first thing you'll notice is the similarity to Nintendo's landmark seminal 1987 adventure game, The Legend of Zelda. The camera is from a top down view, complete with similar doors and walls.

The gameplay is simple, yet complex. To attack, our hero fires his tears in four different directions, all while dodging enemies. The most important things in this game are the items. There are over three hundred items, each with different affects. The game is procedurally generated, so players will never experience the same exact game. Long story short, every play through is brand new.

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth also offers a roster with more than ten playable (and unlockable) characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Isaac is the average one, Judas is the glass canon, Azazel is just overpowered, and so on. All the characters are some reference to The Bible. And with so many different characters, you can expect a lot of different endings.

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The graphics and sound do just enough to keep this game at the top. The art style is unique and helps to set Rebirth apart. The fusion between gore and childish imagery is incredibly effective. It is amusing to see the lead character changing his look as he picks up items, making it possible to have a devil with a halo. Sadly, the music isn't nearly as consistent. The soundtrack is good, but is a bit repetitive after so many hours.

No matter if you play it on the PC, PlayStation 4 or PS Vita, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is one of the best games of 2014. It provides hundreds of hours of gameplay and never feels like the same game twice. Best of all, it's cheap. You have no excuse not to get hopelessly lost Isaac's unique world.