The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth - PCGamingWiki PCGW (2024)

This page is for the 2014 remake. For the original game, see The Binding of Isaac.

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
Developers

	Edmund McMillen
	Nicalis
Publishers
	Nicalis
Release dates
Windows	November 4, 2014
macOS(OSX)	November 4, 2014
Linux	November 4, 2014
Reception
Metacritic	86
OpenCritic	87
Taxonomy
Monetization	Expansion pack
Modes	Singleplayer, Multiplayer
Pacing	Real-time
Perspectives	Bird's-eye view, Flip screen
Controls	Direct control
Genres	Roguelike, Shooter
Art styles	Cartoon, Pixel art
Series	The Binding of Isaac

The Binding of Isaac
The Binding of Isaac	2011
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth	2014
The Legend of Bum-Bo	2019

1 Availability
2 Monetization
- 2.1 DLC and expansion packs
3 Essential improvements
- 3.1 Enhancement modifications
  - 3.1.1 Mod Config Menu
  - 3.1.2 reHUD
  - 3.1.3 MiniMAPI: A Minimap API
  - 3.1.4 Repentogon
- 3.2 Gameplay altering modifications
  - 3.2.1 Antibirth
4 Game data
- 4.1 Configuration file(s) location
- 4.2 Save game data location
- 4.3 Save game cloud syncing
5 Video
6 Input
7 Audio
- 7.1 Localizations
8 Network
- 8.1 Multiplayer types
9 Issues fixed
- 9.1 Improve performance on old hardware
- 9.2 Crash on game start
- 9.3 Keyboard getting stuck sometimes
- 9.4 Sound effects not working
- 9.5 Speed issues, unstable frame rate
- 9.6 Audio noise for hardware connected via USB
- 9.7 Motion sickness caused by the camera
10 Other information
- 10.1 API
- 10.2 Middleware
11 System requirements
12 References

General information

GOG.com Community Discussions

GOG.com Support Page

Steam Community Discussions

Availability

Source	DRM	Notes	Keys	OS
Epic Games Store		Contains all DLC. ^[1]
GOG.com
Steam
Humble Store (unavailable)

Linux and macOS support was dropped on release of Repentance DLC.

GOG release of Repentance DLC is not up to date and lacks daily challenges. Achievements related to this feature cannot be unlocked.

Monetization

DLC and expansion packs

Name	Notes
Afterbirth
Afterbirth+	Requires Afterbirth
Repentance	Requires Afterbirth+

Name

Notes

Afterbirth

Afterbirth+

Requires Afterbirth

Repentance

Requires Afterbirth+

Essential improvements

Enhancement modifications

All Steam Workshop mods require the Afterbirth+ DLC.

Mod Config Menu

Adds an in-game menu that allows to configure compatible mods.

reHUD

Requires Mod Config Menu for customization.

Improved and customizable Extra HUD.

MiniMAPI: A Minimap API

Adds minimap mode that allows visibility of an entire floor without being enlarged.

Adds unique icons for pickups, slot machines and beggars.

Repentogon

Script extender of Lua API.

Requires Repentance. Compatible with the latest version, provided by Steam release. Other versions are untested and unsupported.

Provides bug-fixes, performance enhancements and extra functionality.

Gameplay altering modifications

Antibirth

Antibirth is an expansion that brings additional new content. It can be downloaded from the official website.

Incompatible with Afterbirth and Afterbirth+ DLC.

Antibirth is included in the Repentance DLC.^[2]

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System	Location
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Binding of Isaac Rebirth\ %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Binding of Isaac Afterbirth\ %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Binding of Isaac Afterbirth+\ %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Binding of Isaac Repentance\
macOS (OS X)	$HOME/Library/Application Support/Binding of Isaac Rebirth/
Linux	$XDG_DATA_HOME/binding of isaac rebirth/
Steam	<Steam-folder>/userdata/<user-id>/250900/remote/

This game follows the XDG Base Directory Specification on Linux.

Save game data location

System	Location
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Binding of Isaac Rebirth\ %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Binding of Isaac Afterbirth\ %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Binding of Isaac Afterbirth+\ %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Binding of Isaac Repentance\
macOS (OS X)	$HOME/Library/Application Support/Binding of Isaac Rebirth/
Linux	$XDG_DATA_HOME/binding of isaac rebirth/
Steam	<Steam-folder>/userdata/<user-id>/250900/remote/

Save game cloud syncing

System	Native	Notes
Epic Games Launcher
GOG Galaxy
OneDrive		Requires enabling backup of the Documents* folder in OneDrive on all computers.*
Steam Cloud

Currently there are problems with save game syncing on OS X.

Video

In-game options menu.

Graphics feature	State	Notes
Widescreen resolution		Native 960x540.
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen
4K Ultra HD
Field of view (FOV)
Windowed		Can also be toggled with `F`. Window can be resized.
Borderless fullscreen windowed		Use fullscreen mode.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
Anti-aliasing (AA)		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Vertical sync (Vsync)		Toggle with `VSync=1/0` inside `options.ini`
60 FPS
120+ FPS		Frame rate is capped at 60 FPS.^[3]
High dynamic range display (HDR)		See the glossary page for potential alternatives.

Input

In-game key map settings.

In-game gamepad button map settings.

Keyboard and mouse	State	Notes
Remapping
Mouse acceleration
Mouse sensitivity
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Controller
Controller support
Full controller support
Controller remapping
Controller sensitivity
Controller Y-axis inversion

Controller types

XInput-compatible controllers
Xbox button prompts
Impulse Trigger vibration

PlayStation controllers
PlayStation button prompts
Light bar support
Adaptive trigger support
DualSense haptic feedback support
Connection modes

Generic/other controllers

Additional information
Button prompts
Controller hotplugging
Haptic feedback
Digital movement supported
Simultaneous controller+KB/M		Simultaneous input does exist in menus, but not in game

Audio

Audio feature	State	Notes
Separate volume controls		Music and sound effects.
Surround sound
Subtitles
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
Royalty free audio

Localizations

Language	UI	Audio	Sub	Notes
English
French
Russian				Fan translation by Dark Sorroww. SteamWorkshop page
Ukrainian				Fan translation by Demabel. SteamWorkshop page

Network

Multiplayer types

Type	Players	Notes
Local play	2-4	Co-op In versions of the game prior to Repentance, one other player plays with a random baby, not a full character. On pressing start the main player loses 1 heart container for the second player. Upon death, or the second player leaving the game again, the container is returned. A controller is needed for co-op. Following the release of Repentance in 2021, co-op is available for up to 4 total players with any of the full characters in the game instead of the babies. Babies can still be played if players enter after the first room is left.
LAN play
Online play

Issues fixed

Improve performance on old hardware

Set MaxRenderScale^[4]
Go to the configuration file(s) location. Open `options.ini`. Set `MaxRenderScale` to `1`. Notes This fix will make scrolling choppier and add some artifacts to scaled sprites.

Set MaxRenderScale^[4]

Go to the configuration file(s) location.
Open options.ini.
Set MaxRenderScale to 1.

Notes

This fix will make scrolling choppier and add some artifacts to scaled sprites.

Disable certain effects on Windows and Linux^[4]
Navigate to the `resources` directory in the installation folder. Create a file titled `config.ini` with the following content: [Options]EnableColorCorrection=0EnableCaustics=0EnableShockwave=0EnableLighting=0EnableFilter=0EnablePixelation=0EnableBloom=0 This fix may also amend broken shaders. To disable only certain effects, enter `0` or `1` for some options. It is recommended to leave `EnableLighting` on in order to preserve the game's atmosphere.

Disable certain effects on Windows and Linux^[4]

Navigate to the resources directory in the installation folder.
Create a file titled config.ini with the following content:

[Options]EnableColorCorrection=0EnableCaustics=0EnableShockwave=0EnableLighting=0EnableFilter=0EnablePixelation=0EnableBloom=0

This fix may also amend broken shaders.

To disable only certain effects, enter 0 or 1 for some options.

It is recommended to leave EnableLighting on in order to preserve the game's atmosphere.

Disable certain effects on Mac^[4]
Right-click on the App bundle Select "View Package Contents" Go into `Contents/Resources/resources` Create the same `config.ini` as listed above.

Crash on game start

Possible solutions^{[citation needed]}
Sometimes, the "Preparing to start game" window pops up and nothing happens. The following log is usually produced: timeBeginPeriod( 1 )GLFW Error 65542: WGL: The driver does not appear to support OpenGLGLFW Error 65542: WGL: The driver does not appear to support OpenGLFailed to create OpenGL window / context*Caught exception, writing minidump... Most likely, some OpenGL extensions are not supported by your graphics card or driver. No fix is available in this case. Binding of Isaac: Rebirth requires OpenGL 2.0 support, with OpenGL 3.0 recommended. Try installing the most recent graphics drivers. It is recommended to uninstall the drivers included with the operating system and install the ones directly from the vendor site (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel ...). If you have both an integrated on-board graphics chip and a discrete graphics card, make sure the game is running on the discrete graphics card. Try to "Verify Integrity of Game Cache" in Steam.

Possible solutions^{[citation needed]}

Sometimes, the "Preparing to start game" window pops up and nothing happens. The following log is usually produced:

*timeBeginPeriod( 1 )*GLFW Error 65542: WGL: The driver does not appear to support OpenGL*GLFW Error 65542: WGL: The driver does not appear to support OpenGL*Failed to create OpenGL window / context*Caught exception, writing minidump...

Most likely, some OpenGL extensions are not supported by your graphics card or driver. No fix is available in this case.

Binding of Isaac: Rebirth requires OpenGL 2.0 support, with OpenGL 3.0 recommended.

Try installing the most recent graphics drivers. It is recommended to uninstall the drivers included with the operating system and install the ones directly from the vendor site (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel ...).
If you have both an integrated on-board graphics chip and a discrete graphics card, make sure the game is running on the discrete graphics card.
Try to "Verify Integrity of Game Cache" in Steam.

Keyboard getting stuck sometimes

Some wireless keyboards might have the same problem, as there is a limited number of combinations of keypresses these keyboards can transmit. Try altering the controls until the issue is resolved.

Seems to occur mostly with the Logitech G110 keyboard, but other models might be affected as well.

Disable controller hotplugging^{[citation needed]}
Go to the configuration file(s) location. Open `options.ini`. Change `ControllerHotplug=1` to `ControllerHotplug=0`.

Sound effects not working

Usually, the music may work but sound effects are either missing or only transmitting from one side of a pair of Stereo speakers.

Option #1 - Switching settings^{[citation needed]}
Try different settings for your speakers, e.g. switch from Surround to Stereo mode or vice versa.

Option #2 - Switching versions of OpenAL libraries^{[citation needed]}
Install the OpenAL libraries from http://www.openal.org/creative-installers/oalinst.zip Go to the game folder by right-clicking on `The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth`, then selecting `Properties`, `Local Files`, `Browse Local Files...` Delete or rename `OpenAL32.dll`.

Speed issues, unstable frame rate

Some players with strong systems report the game running too fast or too slow.

Disable VSync^{[citation needed]}
Go to the configuration file(s) location. Open `options.ini`. Change `VSync=1` to `VSync=0`.

Audio noise for hardware connected via USB

Some users are experiencing crackling or scrambled audio with audio devices connected via USB.

Disable gamepad hotplugging^{[citation needed]}
Gamepad hotplugging may be interfering with the USB devices. Go to the configuration file(s) location. Open `options.ini`. Change `ControllerHotplug=1` to `ControllerHotplug=0`. Alternatively, one can also avoid connecting audio hardware (speakers, headphones, headsets, microphones) via USB if the option is available.

Disable gamepad hotplugging^{[citation needed]}

Gamepad hotplugging may be interfering with the USB devices.

Go to the configuration file(s) location.
Open options.ini.
Change ControllerHotplug=1 to ControllerHotplug=0.

Alternatively, one can also avoid connecting audio hardware (speakers, headphones, headsets, microphones) via USB if the option is available.

Motion sickness caused by the camera

Switch camera modes^{[citation needed]}
Go to the configuration file(s) location. Open `options.ini`. Change `CameraStyle=1` to `CameraStyle=2`.

Other information

API

Technical specs	Supported	Notes
OpenGL	2.0

Executable	32-bit	64-bit	Notes
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Linux

Middleware

	Middleware	Notes
Audio	OpenAL
Cutscenes	Theora

System requirements

Windows
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)	XP	Vista, 7, 8
Processor (CPU)	Intel Core 2 Duo	2.4 GHz Quad Core 2.0 or higher
System memory (RAM)	2 GB	8 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	449 MB
Video card (GPU)	Discrete	Intel HD Graphics 4000 ATI Radeon HD 4650 Nvidia GeForce 2xx-Series

macOS (OS X)
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)	10.8	10.9
Processor (CPU)	Intel Core 2 Duo	2.4 GHz Dual Core 2.0 or higher
System memory (RAM)	2 GB	8 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	449 MB
Video card (GPU)	Discrete	Intel HD Graphics 4000 ATI Radeon HD 4650 Nvidia GeForce 2xx-Series

Linux
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)
Processor (CPU)	Intel Core 2 Duo	2.4 GHz Dual Core 2.0
System memory (RAM)	2 GB	8 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	449 MB
Video card (GPU)	Discrete

References

↑ Verified by User:XactactX on 2023-12-12
Tested using the EGS version. The game gives a prompt to sign in with an Epic account, but the prompt can be closed and the game works fine, including offline.
↑ Edmund McMillen on Twitter: "Its official! Binding of Isaac: Repentance is the FINAL (for real this time) DLC for isaac. it will include the amazing Antibirth mod + a ton more content that will make you sh*t your butts! im working along side @FixItVinh to tweak the mod and make it canon!" - last accessed on 2019-08-19
↑ 120+ FPS support?:: The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth General Discussions - last accessed on May 2023
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 (PSA) How to speed up Rebirth considerably (even on ancient hardware): bindingofisaac - last accessed on 2019-08-19