"Boss, why don't you try it yourself? This game is really something special—once you start, you won't be able to stop."
The group continued coaxing their boss, trying to lure him into giving the game a try.
"Listening to you guys, it sounds like this game is some kind of divine masterpiece," Kevin said skeptically. "Isn't it just an indie game? Even if it's made by the God of Games, it's still an indie game. There's a limit to how amazing it can be."
"Boss, just try it and you'll see."
Kevin gave them a strange look, then shook his head."Fine. I'll try it and see if it's really as magical as you're making it out to be."
Yes!The group lit up, exchanging triumphant looks.
"What's the game called?" Kevin asked.
"It's called The Binding of Isaac."
"The Binding of Isaac? That's a pretty odd name. Sounds kind of religious."
"Yeah, there are religious elements in it, but that's just part of the background story—and honestly, the story itself is pretty interesting."
"Exactly. The story's told with these simple, sketch-like animations, but the meaning behind them is really deep. I have no idea how Takayuki came up with something like this."
"Anyone who can write a story like that must've done some serious research."
As they spoke, Kevin clicked into the game's purchase page.
"Wow… the graphics are really rough," he frowned. "Is this really a game made by Takayuki? A game made with the Unreal Engine shouldn't look this bad."
He clearly didn't like the strange art style.At first glance, it didn't look like a fun game at all.
"Boss, don't let the art style fool you. That's actually one of the game's greatest strengths. Besides the god-tier gameplay, the art style is another magical part of it."
"Alright, alright, enough already," Kevin waved them off.
He really didn't feel like listening to their nonstop praise anymore.
In his view, these guys just hadn't played enough games.
Kevin was already in his fifties—he'd grown up alongside the rise of video games themselves.
He had witnessed the entire journey of gaming, from nothing to a massive industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
What kind of game hadn't he played?
These days, the only games that really interested him were older ones—he was something of a nostalgia fan.
As for modern games, the only one he truly loved was Cyberpunk 2077.
Even something like Final Fantasy VII Remake felt a bit flashy and hollow to him.
Hmm… a strange art style, and an equally strange opening story.
A mother, guided by some mysterious divine revelation, decides to strip her child of everything he loves—and eventually even raises a knife against her own child.
The story made Kevin uneasy, but the bizarre art style added a sense of absurdity that slightly softened his discomfort.
"So that's what this art style is for…"
As a veteran developer, Kevin could easily see through to the core design intent of a game.
Stories about abuse were rare in games.
As expected of the God of Games—another bold new direction, another breakthrough.
But story alone wasn't enough. The real test was the gameplay itself…
"…Huh? I died already?"
That was fast.
Alright, one more try.
…
Dead again.
No, that was on me—I used the wrong items. This setup should work better.
Oh? This item's strong. Took out the mobs really easily.
Damn it! This weapon is terrible against the final boss. I shouldn't have picked it…
Kevin had no idea how much time had passed.
The employees who'd originally dragged him into this noticed that he was fully absorbed now, and quietly left his office, letting him play in peace.
Before long, it was time to get off work.
As usual, the employees called home, saying they'd be late again—another "overtime" night. Development was at a critical stage, they said; they couldn't afford to slack off. They promised to make it up to their families later.
Then, with perfect coordination, they all stayed at the office to play The Binding of Isaac.
That was the game's magic—it felt endless.
Each run was wildly different. Every floor brought new challenges. Every playthrough felt fresh.
There were countless ways to solve each situation, countless combat approaches to try.
Each build could practically turn the game into a completely different experience—something none of the roguelike dungeon games they'd played before had ever delivered.
As for Kevin, when quitting time came, he still hadn't snapped out of it.
It wasn't until his phone rang that he irritably came back to reality and glanced at the caller ID.
It was his wife.
"Hello, honey."
"What? It's already eight in the evening?"
"Oh—sorry, dear. I've got some work to deal with today. I'll be late coming home."
"No need to make dinner for me. Over here…" Kevin glanced outside his office and saw the building still brightly lit, full of activity.
He immediately understood.
Those guys were wasting company electricity playing games again.
But strangely enough, he didn't feel annoyed.
After all… he was just as addicted now.
"I've got a few employees working overtime with me. I'll order takeout and eat with them."
"Yeah. Go to bed early. Love you."
Kevin hung up.
At that moment, the game over screen appeared.
Isaac had been killed by a regular enemy, and the game summarized how he died and how he should avoid it next time.
Kevin fell into thought.
At that moment, he suddenly understood why those guys were so obsessed with this game.
It really was something special.
Nothing like the boring games he'd played before.
Vaguely, he felt as though he'd returned to the days when he truly loved gaming.
Without realizing it, his so-called "gaming ED" seemed to be healing.
All he wanted now was one more run.
He'd just discovered a ridiculously strong item combination.
He'd been this close to clearing the run earlier—if he was just a little more careful this time, he could definitely beat it.
…
"Damn it, Kevin… I even made so many dishes…"
Back at home, Kevin's wife stared unhappily at a table full of food. After a moment, she sighed.
Well… he was busy with work, after all. Doing it for the family.
She packed the food away, planning to deal with it tomorrow.
What she didn't expect—
Was that Kevin wouldn't come home for several days in a row…