Challenging and rewarding this game will teach you stamina management

me: "hell yeah I combo this enemy with so many combos/hits, now for the final strike"
KO'd you in one or two hits
me: "wtfajdbauiwdbiaw"

basically what is like playing Nioh

On the list of souls-like games I've played, this comes pretty low.

Dark Souls 3
Elden Ring
Dark Souls 2
The Surge
---Line of "Bad Games but I liked the Aesthetics enough to recommend"---
Lords of the Fallen (Original) [bad game but I lvoed the aesthetic]
Mortal Shell
---Line of "Would not recommend"---
Nioh <---
Ashen

The aesthetics and visuals are not compelling, a critical failing in a soulslike game. The maps are bland. The combat is difficult and complex (which is good), but lacks the natural flow I'd look for in a soulslike. The combat system was complex and the equipment system had a lot to it too, but I just... didn't find either at all enjoyable. First and foremost, a game must be fun. A Soulslike needs to match its gameplay difficulty with enough aesthetic beauty to account for the pain of repetition. Nioh simply fails to do so.