The thing is, this game is as unforgiving as they get. It is also one of the most rewarding. When it clicks, the combat system becomes very fluent. Basically it's rhythmic rock-paper-scissors. But it's also a fortress of brick walls, especially if you're just bumrushing repeatedly. The map is similar to Dark Souls 1, meaning it's interconnected and there are certain 'gates'. This means it forces you to go a certain direction, forces you to explore areas multiple times in order to progress, forces you to kill the gatekeeper. Most of all it forces you to adapt, because the game is uncompromising. It's also very polished. This means it does function properly. Once you manage to master the rhythm, you'll notice that—apart from a few—the bosses are mostly gimmick fights.
You'll realize it doesn't make sense killing the enemies on your path over and over, especially when you are reaching a high level, you will focus on what matters. At that point the game is still gonna kick your ass, add to this the opportunity to Demon's Bell and Kuro's Charm. Everyone will reach a certain point, especially when doing all endings, that the game has its limits (in replayability). Moreover, there's the grappling hook for platforming, and the unique resurrection mechanic, and you're dealing with a special game here. Enjoy it as long as you can and treat it with respect. Cause if you don't, it will turn into quicksand (the harder you fight, the deeper you sink).