Gave up on Dark Souls after my third attempt

[Mnementh]

freebs2 said:

Beforhand I think Demon't Souls and Dark Souls are excellent game, but at the same time I don't like very much From Software later games.

As for first playthrough impressions. My first souls game was Demons Souls, so when I started Dark Souls I already knew the basics...but still I had a lot of difficult times.
Firstly yes, the game can be overwhelming...the thing is DS rewards caution and carefull exploration. Also to be played properly it requires you to understand how the rpg elements in the game work and that can be a challange at fist. I would say DS is one of the few games I recommend playing with a guide for the first time, not much for walkthoughs but to understand how character progression and equipment power ups work.
That said, I would recommend to approach Demon,DS,DS2 not much as action games but more as survival games. The key to beat the game is to utilise your resources and to minimize risks. As for boss fights it's very important to understand thier moveset, the environment, its weak points, if it gets to difficult it's also usefull to experiment with different approaches.
Contrary to what 'purists' say it's not always fair and it has a lot of rough edges, but It's still my favourite single player game of last generation, regardless.

I think the characterization as survival more than action games seems about right.

I am not good at fast paced action games. I like the flashyness and the style of Bayonetta for instance, but the combat frustrates me and feels a lot harder than in souls games. That is because the pace of the fight overwhelms me. In Souls on the other hand I can plan out my moves and react to the enemy, as the combat is slowed down (probably what feels clunky about it). This is why Bayonetta, while overall an enjoyable game, fails to make my TOP 50, while Demon's Souls enters it.