This is quite hard! Couple more observations from further play: getting blasted out of your shell happens the first time you “die”. If your soul or whatever is hit again, you’re dead, but getting back to and back into the shell heals you up. If you die again, though, that’s that (maybe this recharges at whatever their equivalent of bonfires is? I have yet to find one.). Items, roguelike, do not reveal their purpose until you use them. I used something that had no use for me at the present time, and I also ended up poisoning myself with a mushroom, regrettably. Not sure I like that system, really.
I don’t think I mentioned that the “block” is on a timer, so you can’t just hold it down and tank repeated shots. If you miss your parry on the first hit forget it, you can’t parry once you’re staggered, so dodge out (dodge twice to roll). They have taken almost every idea from a souls game or one of its extended family (double dodge to roll from Nioh), it seems. Not necessarily a bad thing…