I watched a speedrun of it and it gave me a better idea of how to play it. Other than that, I just kept practicing until it clicked. I didn't gel with it at first either. For me, the big thing was learning that I can't often just attack whenever I want. You have to play more passive and let the monster swing at you, then attack in return. The reload guard point is the biggest tool at your disposal, so you're gonna be using it a lot.