A nearly perfect soulsborne game. I love the focus on more agressive combat. having a sidestep instead of a dodge roll while locked onto enemies took some getting used to but once it clicked, it really clicked. trick weapons are a blast, and guns are super satisfying to parry with. the level design is stellar, with lots of series highlights all around. the boss fights are for the most part fantastic, and the old hunters DLC has three of the best bosses in the series. the lore is the best in the series without question, and the aesthetic is only topped by elden ring. honestly, my only real complaint is that chalice dungeons suck HOT ASS. I am so glad they are optional. the only bad bosses in the entire game come from them (yharnam, bloodletting beast, etc) and they are just a chore to actually play through. thank god for false depth chalices because if i actually had to go through all of the pthumerian chalices to fight yharnam i think i would have lost it. a thankfully optional stain on what is otherwise a masterpiece. I cannot recommend this game enough, as long as you skip the chalice dungeons.