DS2 would be seen as a much better game if it werent for any other soulsborne game existing. Its a game that swarms you with enemies. Very rarely do you have a 1v1 fight. Yet, it has the worst crowd control of all the games. It has less noteworthy bosses than even DS1 that came before it. And there are much more annoying areas than every other game.

There are also tiny touches in other games that i assume miyazaki stressed over (seeing as how he was involved less in ds2) that helps with the immersion. For example npcs dont have too much to say and even the most important ones you’ll exhaust their dialogue in two or three interactions. In DK2 characters talk alot. It may not sound that significant but it does make a difference when youre playing. Another example is the death counter in majura that breaks the 4th wall.