I never played the first one but i’m a fan of challenging games. From what i’ve read after getting my ass beaten by single random bandits, the combat is better and more fluid than the first game. Fewer locked in animations is what i gather is the biggest change.

The one thing you really have to get in your brain is do not spam attacks. You will die. Your stamina is like armor in that the lower your stamina the more it hurts to be hit.

Like i said, once it clicks it’s great but boy oh boy was it frustrating to learn.