Just keep playing and learn the items and enemies and bosses. There's all sorts of little bits and bobs to it, like secret rooms and marked rocks etc that make your life easier when you learn 'em.

Azazel is my go to "well shit I've lost 20+ times in a row, I need to win now" character, then Judas cos that Glass Cannon yo. Just don't ever pick up third eye  or orbital with Azazel, it'll fuck you..

I finally beat the last boss of the Cathedral too, doubt I'd have done it without Azazel and Tech2

Yep, he's an interesting guy, beyond all the poo.

I do wonder how many people realise it's the Meatboy guy.

Played a bit more but I just can't get on with the whole aesthetic. It's miserable looking: - all brown and greys, it sounds terrible and the subject matter is not something I like to be thinking about when I'm playing.

Other than that it plays lovely and is a solid little roguelike, just a shame there isn't an option to reskin the game into a more Zeldary/fantasy style setting with fluffy bunnies and green trees...

Been watching a few runs on the 'Tube. I kind of like what the game fundamentally is but McMillen's sense of humour still hasn't won me over at all.

Yeah it's god tier with Azazel. Works even better with Brimstone.



What you really need with Azazel is fire rate upped - passive item Cancer is the best, with a few more speed upgrades you can fire without charging.

Tip o' the day: If you're struggling with Mom or Mom's Heart (and its Alt) The Bible one shots them, free of charge.

I have now also beaten ??? so I only have one Mega Boss left to kill.

The hooks of this are in so bad. I'll beat it one day, I'm on winstreak -60 at the moment.

Woah. Er, have you unlocked Azazel? He's quite helpful for new players.

I mean he's not strictly "easy mode" it's just he has flying from the start and easy high damage potential that isn't nerfed easily by negative items - but without a life pool he's tough, those Dark Hearts don't come back so you still need good luck with Health+ items. Use him to get a feel for stuff. 

Otherwise, Samson and Judas are very good - the later is a proper glass cannon. It's all about learning what to take and what to leave, and to increase your chances of the big pay offs. 

Weigh up whether it's worth entering the store if you've got less than 15 coins. 
Break the shaded blocks for a chance at extra drops, learn how to find secret rooms on levels (they're usually nestled between three other rooms and only accessible by bombs - it's not entirely random)
Figure out if you should be passing up certain passives for others. Some are rancid, others like the rosary bead are great for getting extra spirit hearts etc
There's an item that gives you a reusable eternal heart, if you use it after you kill the boss you're guaranteed an extra heart next level etc
Always do deals with the devil until you're good enough to use angel doors to try and get to the cathedral, it really helps to unlock a wide range of items to beat the cathedral, so devil worshiping gets you there easily.
Try and beat Mom with each character for a bonus item (if you have The Bible you can kill her instantly by activating it)
Don't waste your time with pills at all, but learning what tarot cards do is really useful. 
Devil items like Dark Bum and Lil' Brimstone are great (Brimstone is like Azazel x100)
If you beat Mom in under 20 mins and have lots of health and a sweet item set, you can do the boss run - but you don't have to, it might be forced.
Honestly, after Mom, the difficulty really spikes. There's nothing of worth after her, so just boost to the boss asap.

Maybe enter one of the seeds i've put in to see how item chaining can really carry you/ You'll generally know by the end of the Caves if you can win or not.

I wouldn't say consistently... but if you get an item that lets you see them, like The Sun tarot card, or X-Ray Specs, you'll see they are programmed to sit in certain places. There are two - one is always nestled in a gap bordering at least two rooms, they other is always off a 'dead end'

To enter the Cathedral it's the opposite of Sheol - enter two Angel rooms and hope you get luck after beating The Womb/Utero

Pills can be a gamble if you're already at low health. THe Doctor's Certificate removes all bad pills from the game, and is always a great purchase at a shop (don't forget to upgrade it every so often)

Cards - refer to the wiki, I always forget what they do but I only try and remember a few anyway. Sun/World are good for getting to Mom fast as they show you level layouts, Hierophant is the best as it's two free Spirit Hearts (Lover is good in a pinch) The map retains where they drop so you can easily use and come back after the boss etc.

Judas is unlocked by beating The Womb once (you have to kill Mom a second time to enter it)

If you beat Mom in under 20 minutes there is a mental boss rush that can be very rewarding if you can scrape through it. Can be the ultimate smack down if you fuck up though.

I'd honestly suggest using Azazel for all the unlocks, that's what I did.

In the shop there is sometimes a little donation machine, you can pump coins into it, it levels up every 50 coins I think. Sometimes it jams though.
Sheol is the alternate level where you fight Satan, after The Womb. You get there by being evil - so 2+ deals with the devil + some luck I think,.

I beat Mom! Fucking yas son.

Was utter chaos in Mom's room but I had a full lot of black and blue hearts so I just kept firing like a lunatic.

Wait what I have to do more I thought that was it

Unlocked a ton of shit tonight. Can regularly go 3/4 levels without being close to death so getting a bit more consistent and thanks to Temp's advice up page I'm starting to home in on secret rooms and ignoring most pills etc