This is a really tough game for me to review because it was so special on my first playthrough. It got me into souls games and was an unbelievably amazing experience.
However, every new playthrough I do of it I like it less and less. For the first time, i went for a magic build, and I don't think my lack of enjoyment came from being a mage because I thought it was a pretty fun time tbh. My complaints obviously lie mostly in the 2nd half of the game. Tomb of the Giants, Demon Ruins/Lost Izalith, and New Londo Ruins are just such an absolute slog to get through, so obviously unfinished.
Most of the bosses that I initially thought were amazing are just so average now. Fights like Ornstein and Smough and Kalameet have been outshone since, and now are just very underwhelming.
Nevertheless, the sublime level design of the first half, the aesthetic and the base gameplay still hold up today: 4.5 / 5