Grab a copy of Dark Messiah or Warhammer: Vermintide, then sprinkle some Roboquest and a dash of Hades, and you’ll get Mortal Sin. At first, the almost grotesque layer of paint over the retro-style visuals looks unappealing, but as you get used to it, this indie soon cements itself as one of the best roguelite games of rest years – trust me, I should know.
Unlike the isometric view of Hades that makes the combat feel more action-packed, or the cartoony visuals of a title like Roboquest, Mortal Sin puts you knee-deep into the guts and gore. It’s easy to get overconfident straight away, slashing and hacking your way through each of the game’s levels, but you’ll quickly find yourself overwhelmed by a variety of ranged attacks and crowded by enemies, getting killed before you can see the end of your run.
Packed with a huge variety of melee weapons from giant greatswords to your very own fists – depending on which class you choose – Mortal Sin tasks you with performing a range of limb-cutting combos in this brutal, graphic novel-like world. Like other hits in the genre, you’ll find powers that are with you until the end of each run, as well as increasingly powerful gear that will make you harder to kill, but you’ll need to constantly manage your durability, lest you have it break in the middle of a battle.
Mortal Sin requires you to be fairly aggressive most of the time, and that works wonders on my monkey-with-cymbals brain. Dishing out heaps of damage through well-paced attacks feels satisfying, and as you spray blood and guts along each of the game’s tightly packed levels, it’s easy to lose time to it. I’ve found myself regularly playing for hours on end, enjoying every moment of the chaos.
The feeling of each crunch as your sword lands on enemy flesh offers a distinct, instant feeling of enjoyment. However, the world actually helps that stand out, with the violent visuals pairing extremely well with the combat mechanics. It might be a bit hard to process exactly what’s happening at first because of its distinct visual identity, but you’ll soon get used to it.
If you’re looking for a new roguelite that doesn’t fall into familiar patterns, Mortal Sin is it, and right now you can get it for just $7.50 / £7.50 with the new Prestige Collection XL Bundle from Fanatical. You’ll need to buy two games (so two for $14.99) to get the offer, but there’s no shortage of excellent titles available; you can find the full list here. Personal recommendation, but Mullet Madjack offers an equally energetic experience and pairs well with Mortal Sin.
If you want a roguelite that feels vicious, fast, and genuinely different, Mortal Sin is an easy recommendation at this price.
