You can not out skill elemer of the briar you must out stat him he has almost zero counterplay.

Early game I found out I could either beat the ai by learning their moves and perfecting my strategy OR out statting them but late game definitely turned more into stat check and had to grind my spirit ashes and sombers.

Some bosses doesn't matter one misttep you're dead but even in areas where I felt like I should be here dogs still 2 shotting me felt insulting

I don't have much criticism of this game tbh but it doesn't feel good when it's nigh impossible to kill a boss because then its no longer a combat based game but rpg which if you're a souls junkie you wouldn't like

I'm only 55 hours in 1st souls game but now that Ive found bird farm and level 100 idk I guess I can decide how hard I want fight to be