After reading all of the negative "clunky" reviews, I had to investigate further - this is simply just players not familiar with an action RPG, and managing stamina/energy during combat and actions, or taking into consideration the weight management of equipment you're carrying.
I haven't played a lot of the game, but can hardly wait to play more!
This is seriously an under rated gem. Which is unfortunate that many will most likely not experience as a result of the reviews.
The git-gud or git punished style game play is pertty similar to Dark Souls, but definitely has it's own flair/twist, and is quite enjoyable. I would say it's even more forgiving than a DS game, and is a great into into this style of game.