The Binding of Isaac: Repentance - Guide to Unlocking Tainted Versions

A few days have passed since the release of the new DLC The Binding of Isaac: Repentance, and roguelike fans have taken advantage of these home days to flesh out every part of the expansion to perfection. After writing an entire guide to help you finish the new Repentance without too much difficulty (you can find it here) we realized that the surprises, obviously, were not over yet. As you progress through the game, you discover new things - more and more complex and hidden - and we are here to keep you constantly updated. After many tiring games, we want to explain you in this guide how to unlock Tainted Version (or Tainted versions) of all characters in The Binding of Isaac: Repentance.

We tell you right away that to unlock the secret alternate versions of your characters you will first have to complete the game in its entirety. Attention, although we are very simple - once you reach the end-game - unlocking the "contaminated" characters is not absolutely immediate. Indeed, probably to get all the Tainted Version of The Binding of Isaac: Repentance it will take many hours of play, even if the procedure remains the same, which we explain in this guide.

Guide for the Tainted Version in The Binding of Isaac: Repentance

As mentioned before, in order to unlock this alternative version it will be necessary get to the end of the game and go to the new unlocked "home" area. As will be clear to many by now, to reach the house it will be necessary to defeat Mom who is on the fifth floor of the original game (Depths II) and collect one of the two dropped items. Once in possession of The Polaroid o The Negative, you just need to use The Fool (given card supplied with the character Azazel, but easily found by blowing up the branded skull found on the fifth floor) for go back in front of the Strana Porta that will open and cross it. Now you will begin to retrace all the plans of the DLC through the beams of light that will take you directly to the Home area. Attention, if you are carrying out this procedure for the first time you will be able to unlock a Tainted version immediately, otherwise you will have to wait a little longer. Once in the rooms of the house, your task will be be able to find Mom's bedroom, and in particular the trunk at the foot of the bed. The first time, inside that chest of drawers, you will find the “Red Key” item, which will allow you to unlock it within the game.

That object will be essential to succeed in our intent. Once in Mom's room and in possession of the key, you just need to use that object in every room of the house. You will arrive at a point, each time random, where using that card will unlock the famous “Tainted” or literally translated “Contaminated / Corrupted” version of the character you are using.

It is clear that, for this first time, the difficulty will lie only in dealing with Mom and reaching the "Home" area. Problems will start coming the next time. Starting from the next attempt, in fact, the chest inside Mom's bedroom will no longer release the Red Key, but a random item. That is why, starting from this moment, we should only rely on chance. The only way to unlock the corrupted versions of the other characters will be to find the Red Key item (or Cracked Key, consumable with the same effect) throughout the game and keep it until the end.

The Tainted Version of Isaac and Forgotten

Unlocking these alternative versions does not only mean obtaining graphically modified characters, but it is about real modifications of the characters. As mentioned earlier, unlocking multiple alternate versions is really a long and complex process. That is why at this moment we can only talk to you about Tainted Version by Isaac and Forgotten.

Tainted Isaac

In this version Isaac will start his run with 3 red hearts and a bomb in his inventory, but he will not have D6 as the default item. Alternatively, on each pedestal you will find on your path (treasure, shop and Satan's pact) there will be two objects from which you can choose. Be careful though, Tainted Isaac will only be able to hold eight passive items (The Polaroid and The Negative excluded). Items obtained by Isaac will appear in a square in the corner of the screen, and will all be swappable and replaceable.

In addition to this, each corrupted version will have a chance to obtain special items. We present below all the objects of Isaac's Tainted Version (or Tainted Isaac):

• Mom's Lock
• Soul of Isaac
• Mega Chest
• Spindown says
• Bag says
• Glitched Crown

Tainted Forgotten

In this version, the player will control an additional character very similar to "The Soul". This can't get red hearts, by any means, but it can pretty much get blue, black, or bone hearts. The Soul cannot attack, but must rely completely on Forgotten, who will follow him at any time. The latter has no life, and therefore cannot die or be affected in any way. Joining the two characters will cause them to merge by placing Forgotten on The Soul's shoulders. At this point it will be possible to throw the little character at the enemies, to cause as much damage as possible. Although Forgotten cannot move and is only thrown, it blocks enemy shots (although they will never try to hit it, being always attracted to The Soul). The last peculiarity will be the possibility of collecting objects of any kind even by the small skeleton, if launched towards the item to be collected.

So here are all the objects that can be used for the Forgotten Tainted Version:

• Polished Bone
• Soul of the Forgotten
• Golden Battery
• Decap Attack
• Hollow Heart
• Isaac's Tomb