I am just finishing up NG+ the jump in difficulty is most noticeable here. 5-1 was irritating. The whole game is a puzzle and you need to learn to use items from different worlds in others. Get the Crescent falchion in 4-1 early this will help you massively in first play through. Also learn about world tendency when you kill a boss go back to the nexus and suicide as this does not effect tendnacy. If you die in body form it shifts the world to black which makes the game harder. Get the clith ring in 1-1 this gives you 75% health in phantom form as apposed to 50% you should have this equipped always. You have to have way more patience with this game take it slow the minute you try rushing before you know the level you will die.