Mortal Sin builds an engaging combat system from a handful of elements. The most important of these are melee weapons and the array of techniques at your disposal. In oppressive dungeons, you will slash, kick, punch, and parry while being stalked by demonic creatures. Combat has a compelling rhythm, interrupting the tense, cramped first-person dungeon exploration with sudden, frantic mouse clicks; as in "Dead Space," enemies must be completely dismembered in order to be killed. Heads and limbs fly around in great numbers

, mainly chopping up enemies with meaty melee weapons such as swords, halberds, and axes. For example, you can unleash a power attack by kicking a monster and then punching it. Tapping Shift creates a sort of dash-bash, allowing you to get close to an enemy and deliver a weak blow. I do whatever it takes to keep the monsters away, thin out the crowd, and eventually rip off a limb.

I dig combat right off the bat because it's the heart of Mortal Sin: action rogue-lite cloaked in a bleak, grungy visual style. This is not a game where you spend a lot of time on story or fancy menu design. You start out in the ruins of a chapel, where you'll have to tackle randomly appearing dungeons. This initially nondescript plot is gradually enhanced by useful features such as crafting stations and potion stores, but otherwise there is little to entice the player other than soulful Diablo 1-style music.

Upon entering one of the gauntlets, the calming music gives way to a malevolent droning sound, and slamming footsteps echo menacingly throughout the level. Immediately you make first contact with the enemy, violently slashing limbs before kicking the headless creature into a deadly trap for a laugh. Then we come to the next most important combat element: the world.

There is a level of interactivity here that reminds me of Dark Messiah in Might & Magic, which is still the dunce when it comes to first-person boot. Sadly, there are no orcs to push off cliffs, but there are plenty of vicious traps, and it's indiscriminate who you chop up. What may seem like a terrifying obstacle at first is actually one of the best tools in your arsenal, easily avoided by a vigilant player or a speedy dash move.

Weapons, nifty moves, and dungeons are full of useful traps. Loot is mainly found in treasure chests, and obtaining them will cause you to discard your old equipment. Likewise, there are three upgrades to choose from for every two or three floors you advance, simple skills that mesh well with the abilities built into the most selective loot.

As with any rogue loot, one would try to build killer synergy by, for example, combining regen abilities with skills that reduce durability loss. Regenes heal damage gradually, while skills reduce item depletion. Add in shoes that improve the rate of endurance potion gain, and surely the rest of the run will go well.

No, no. Synergy is a careful balance here, and it will break down if you drop the cauldron. Weapons and armor deteriorate with each use. They can be replenished with durability potions, but no matter how good your skills are, they are not permanent. Once an item's durability is exhausted, it is lost forever.

You must be on your guard and pay as much attention to your durability as you do to your strength. This is a clever approach to rogue light synergy and goes a long way to preventing the steamroller effect that can occur when you become too powerful in this type of game.

In other respects, however, this is a rather inadequate rogue light. I'm torn between liking a bit of persistence and a pure blank slate in Rogue Lights, and I found "Mortal Sin" an unsatisfying middle ground. At the end of each play, the gold earned can be spent at crafting stations and potion stores to help you play the next time, but only if you don't quit the game. If you quit the game, you will start with an empty wallet the next time you play. Similarly, not being able to save in a dungeon is a bit of a hassle, but not too bad since it often takes only a short time.

The only thing to rely on is your skill with "Mortal Sin," which steadily improves as you get used to the rhythm of the game. More than many action games, I was able to really get into a state of concentration as I sliced and diced my way through and avoided the traps set up in each level. Background elements such as walls, skyboxes, and dungeon props are handily desaturated, while key elements such as monsters and traps are highlighted in primary colors.

I have come to think of "Mortal Sin" as a ghost train. Traps pop out of the walls and creatures lurk in the corners, waiting to surprise you, but literal jump scams are also frequently invoked. Jack-in-the-boxes leap out of bars and demonic dolls suddenly appear on the screen. Swarms of bats may swarm around you and blind you. These harmless antics may be annoying to some people, but they are only a nuisance to prickle the ever-growing tension. If you're anything like me, you'll swear, laugh, and shake your head if the game is a little distasteful.

Because of the exciting combat in "Mortal Sin," you may overlook the less polished elements, such as the unfriendly save system, iffy duration, and frequent yo-yoing between different dungeons. In important areas, such as loot, interactivity, and, above all, heart-stopping melee, "Mortal Sin" is one thrilling roguelite.