I didn’t want to say it but a lot of complaints about the game seem to come down to it being a skill issue
Am pretty sure from what I've skimmed online ,that I haven't faced any of the hardest bosses yet..the only fight I had do redo again SO far was phoenix and the huge serpent in chapter 2 but I really didn't know the system.
Phoenix,he was one HP after stagger but then he did his cutscene move and killed the team lol....
Parrying seems to me to be the most important skill,always use access.that could make a 3 minute fight into a 30 second fight.