Boss #1 – Mom’s Heart
Though it’s easy to get caught up in the brilliant gameplay of The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, it also has a compelling and truly sad story motivating you forward. Isaac escapes into the basement to avoid the murderous wrath of his deranged mother, who is convinced that God has commanded her to kill her only son. Though there aren’t a lot of cutscenes to explain the nuances of the plot, nothing diminishes the horror of a parent trying to kill their children. What makes it even worse in this game is that, after beating Mom, Isaac gets drawn even deeper into a bloody labyrinth where he is forced to kill his mother once and for all by stopping the beating of her horrible heart. Mom’s Heart is a true challenge, and, while not as tough as foes like Mega Satan, is still a worthy foe. Given the premise behind the game, I feel it’s right to rank Mom’s Heart as Number 1. While we may never understand all that occurs in Rebirth, it has compelled me to dive deeply into it. I can only hope that the Afterbirth DLC offers even more challenges and nuance to an already fantastic game. Keep the nightmares coming, NICALiS and Edmund McMillen. I am eager to see what other dangers lurk in the basement…
