What are some positive/negative opinions from those who played it? Metacritic's "urnalist" reviews are looking IGN-tier vague so I don't trust those. The user reviews are much more negative and constantly mention bad frame-rates, cheap bosses with random attacks, and a paper-thin "open world".
Console I haven’t had an issue with framerate. There’s definitely places with serious mob spam issues (like Dark Souls 2 ambushes, sometimes) and everyone non “Hollow” feels like their stamina bar is double yours and they will just hit spam you until your guard breaks if you even bother trying to block. Also, some of the enemies have pretty cheap abilities even on their own - this game’s version of Dark Souls black knights have a wind attack that knocks you back, for exampke.
That said, I’ve been finding all sorts of crazy stuff. I’m one of the few people who didn’t like BotW at all, but this is what I wanted BotW to be. If I ever find a hangglider it’ll be perfect.
The first castle you enter has so many different paths that it’s probably bigger than Anor Londo by itself. There‘s some seriously fucked up enemies in various places
the grafting spider, giant Baba Yaga hands, eagles with knife feet. If you liked Dark Souls, esp 3, this feels like more of it, but more open. It has some definite improvements, and some really irritating parts, but it’s definitely a Soulsbourne game - down to basic archetypal characters sharing the same VA’s they’ve had in the previous games. There’s a Big Hat Logan type and a Siegward type, and I think a Greirat as well. And instead of souls it’s runes and instead of estus it’s…. Chalices? And instead of chalk it’s fingers.
I dunno, it’s probably not my GotY, but I’ve put 14 hours in this weekend, and I rarely do that with games.
