"Games designed around fast reflexes are terrible design because [...] it's just boring" + "Because the non-reflex-intensive playstyles in DS series are dull"
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here because you're calling both parry and "non-parry" types boring (that's aside from the bizarro breakdown of style options), but playing it anyway.
First, a slight correction: I did not call parrying boring, I called fast reflex based gameplay boring. Parrying in DS series is more than just fast reflexes, you also have to learn different enemies attack patterns, which is as close as you are going to get to technique in DS. It's not great, could be better, but compared to other stuff it's pretty good. This is why I enjoy parrying in DS games, but my point was, in DS2, with the wind up time, it was made too ineffective. I can work really hard to master parrying in DS2, and get better at it, but ultimately, it will still be only partially effective, whereas I can roll instead and be much more effective.
But rolling is boring. It's too easy to roll out of the way, since it's not as punishing missing the timing on a roll as it is with parrying (unless dealing with huge boss attacks that cover a lot of area), and it goes on too long, since it doesnt have the consistent equivalent of riposte damage (backstabs don't automatically activate after a successful roll). And of course, just from an aesthetic point of view, rolling is retarded. Imagine watching a movie with a sword fight scene, and one dude rolls away as a regular defensive move. This is why I don't like rolling, even though I do it a lot.
The non-timing approaches (tanking, massive 2 handers, spells, ranged) are dull in DS games, because there is no technique. You just spam something.
DS2 best souls
