Help me git gud & Invisible spike rocks??

[TakeYourTimeGaming]

Hi everyone! This post might be a little long, but I hope you take the time to read it and give me some helpful tips! I played Afterbirth+ a year or so ago on my Switch and on Steam. I played on Normal mode and unlocked 6 or 7 of the Mom's Heart endings. I'd average maybe 1 win for 5 losses. Well, I started playing Repentance a few days ago, and I also began playing on Hard difficulty because there are items (and a character) that only unlock on Hard mode. I am trying my best, but I'm doing abysmally. The really frustrating thing is that I don't seem to be improving. I recently beat Returnal which was very hard for me in the beginning, but practice made me better. Practice doesn't seem to help with Isaac. I feel like I'm learning enemy patterns, but I'm still unable to avoid their damage.

In 45 runs, I got 2 wins. The first was with Magdalene. The second was a sort of win with Eden because I beat Mom's Heart and got to Sheol for the very first time. Alas, I lost to Satan there. I have also attempted the first 3 challenges quite a few times and managed to complete the first two. I am using quality of life mods like the tinted rocks one. So does anybody have any tips to help me not get hit? I'm bad at bullet hell dodging normally, and when there are so many onscreen projectiles, sometimes I'll just madly strafe around and pray I get lucky. I'm using an Xbox One controller, btw. I can't play with keyboard due to arthritis. So what are your best git gud tips? I have been watching a YouTuber (MrSamStreamer) play Repentance in the hope of picking up some tips, but he just makes it all look easy. I don't know how he does it, haha.

In the same vein, I have had about 4 instances in these last 45 runs where I have run into something invisible that damages me. I think they're spiked rocks and not ground spikes because I *think* I've only taken half a heart of damage. But this is REALLY annoying and has ruined runs for me. Sometimes these traps are on the perimeter of the room and other times they're scattered in the middle. I want to say that every room where I've encountered them has also had enemies. What the heck is going on here with that?? I couldn't find anything in the Wiki about invisible traps. I sure do hate them though.

Okay, I think that sums everything up. I welcome your advice!

[Kenny]

If you're using a tinted rock reskin mod, there's a good chance it was made before repentance and as such is making rocks from repentance invisible. I recommend you double check that all the mods you use are updated for repentance before using them.

[TakeYourTimeGaming]

Originally posted by Mr. Wiggles:

If you're using a tinted rock reskin mod, there's a good chance it was made before repentance and as such is making rocks from repentance invisible. I recommend you double check that all the mods you use are updated for repentance before using them.

Ohhh. Good call! I will double check that. Thank you!

And to anyone else following this post, I made it Sheol once more with Cain, but I was murdered by random enemies. I had the maximum amount of hearts too. :/ It honestly feels like my game is running at 1.25 or 1.5 speed and not the normal speed.

[Luna]

Originally posted by TakeYourTimeGaming:

It honestly feels like my game is running at 1.25 or 1.5 speed and not the normal speed.

repentance hard mode makes a lot of monsters move and shoot faster. (because its such a fun way to make an already hard game harder)

[Danizk0]

Originally posted by Candy_fox:

repentance hard mode makes a lot of monsters move and shoot faster. (because its such a fun way to make an already hard game harder)

It is

[TakeYourTimeGaming]

Originally posted by Candy_fox:

Originally posted by TakeYourTimeGaming:

It honestly feels like my game is running at 1.25 or 1.5 speed and not the normal speed.

repentance hard mode makes a lot of monsters move and shoot faster. (because its such a fun way to make an already hard game harder)

Joy. :/ I also just unlocked "Everything Is Terrible" which apparently makes the game harder? Like... Why, man.

[UwU]

imho Isaac is still one of the easiest roguelikes you can find on steam, even with all hardmode changes

[Danizk0]

I think Gungeon is easier (because it's much more fair)

[UwU]

Originally posted by Danizk0:

I think Gungeon is easier (because it's much more fair)

Well, that's why I said "one of the easiest" :)
Yeah, it's a lot easier to win in a Gungeon after you learned how to play it, you can even win with starting pistol without a problem.
But I think it's still harder to learn for new players