I hate to call everything a souls game, but it's got that souls like feel to it, which I do like, and the PS2 low-poly aesthetic is great. It definitely has the bones for a interesting game. It has some flaws to which are.
1. It's extremely gamer based if I can describe it as such. For example, lockpicking, looting, and the way you interact with certain stuff. It's not very intuitive for the average person unless you've played with things similar before. For example lockpicking I understood immediately, as the mechanic was very similar if not the same as dying light so I knew what to do. But if you don't know, you would have to just guess. Similar backtracking, you may not know to backtrack, but I will give credit, you are given a key so logic would suggest that door that says you need a key will be utilized as such.
2. Dying is of no consequence, perhaps because it is a demo but there's no reason to not just die and reset the level to grind XP.
3. Combat is a lil clunky. There is seldom point in blocking as there's just not enough time to riposte so it just becomes a kiting game.
There's also some map clipping and collision based issues such as escaping out of bounds or enemies clipping into crates. But overall, I was quite invested. I really liked it, and it reminded me a bit of Barony, a game of which I also really enjoy. I think adding some controls, and volume control, might give players a bit more help. No need to Ubisoft it, but a gentle nudge like the arrows by the bridge to signal shooting the ropes to teach mechanics.
Vod section from 1:17:42-2:16:30 https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2866219017