I'm torn. This game has such a cool style to it. The umbral lamp which can be used to see into two different worlds of the same level is genuinely an amazing mechanic, but its all just so mediocre. The enemy variety is lacking that you'll have seen 90% of the enemies before you're a quarter of a way into the game. Any boss that isn't designated as a remembrance boss, is reused. Any enemy that is slightly harder than the other enemies, is later used as a boss. Some animations look pretty good and readable and others are snappier than early star wars the clone wars animation. Weapons look awesome but have 0 variety. Every single weapon in category feels the same as the others. You have your pure radiant holy damage weapons, or your split physical holy weapons, two of those in each category. So sure you'll find a weapon for your build in every category, you won't feel any different. Boss weapons mostly feel the same as basic weapons due to their special attacks being locked behind a +10 upgrade, or a quest that is somehow more hidden than average souls NPC quests.
With all of that being said, there is genuinely good ideas here, I love the lamp, I love soulflaying tougher enemies, I love being able to use shields to parry giving more interaction for players who would prefer to block. Armor designs, and tincts had me trying so many different outfits. Being able to powerstance any weapon is a good idea but with bad execution, because dual-wielding will always have the same animation, with only a few execptions. This game has its own 2-life system that I think most souls games benefit from having. And after reviving you have a very different play style due to healing being reduced and rather focusing on getting recoverable health back by attacking. Ranged attacks being limited in a similar way to magic is a cool idea, and I prefer how it is done here much more than it is done in Souls or Elden Ring where you have to craft or buy your ammo. Build variety is good, on the ranged side only. I think that the melee weapons are all a bit too similar, and expensive to invest into, but ranged options is not the same. Three different spell builds. and a matching ranged builds for agility strength or quality builds using either crossbows, bows, or even throwing weapons, my favorite being the lump hammer.
The game looks great, and it ran great with only a few hitches or areas with bad performance. Audio is good but would pretty often bug out, and sometimes just stop working entirely. The menus will typically bug out and you'll have to reopen them to get them to work.
While I did say that the levels look cool, and playing them can be fun, there is also way too many varying paths, which normally I wouldn't say is a bad thing, but imagine if every area was like firelink shrine in DS1, but 3x the size, and that was every area. You can be in one area, and go 3 different ways, and end up with 3 different paths that lead to their own areas with bosses, that each have those same sprawling ends. It is hard to navigate through the map, and I was constantly loss, even while using the lamp to show me where to go, because typically it'd just go to a vestige I already discovered.
Posture damage felt useless in multiplayer, it only triggered a few times and I just decided to ignore going for it as a gameplay strategy, I'm sure this is better in singleplayer from the little experience I've had.
I am excited for the next game if they improve on what is here. I recommend it for people who enjoy Dark Souls 2 specifically and have a friend. Anyone else probably won't have as much enjoyment.
Also go play lies of P
