My problem is not my failure to progress or my understanding of what to do. I have leveled up to 8, I think, and I have killed everything I can kill—ghouls, glowing dogs, drowners, bandits, tall plants, even myself a few times.
I understand how it works, what I need to drink, etc. It ain't rocket science, but it is unduly overcomplicated to me. (Yes, I know that's a hallmark of the genre. I'm just sayin')
I don't like pausing the game while I drink a potion, slime my weapon, eat a chicken leg, comb my hair, and shine my boots…then un-pause, as if nothing has happened. To me, that's a cheat.
Then, if you lose the battle, you "learn" that, hey, you don't shine your boots last, you shine them first! And it starts all over again until you finally get it right. *sigh*
And the Aard blast works only sometimes. It is quite effective and I got very good at killing some opponents with one blast and a stab….then it just got a bit boring…until it started not working well on some enemies.
In this game, you don't become more skilled at fighting, you become a better flame clicker and sword slimer, after you pause the game and quaff potions in your recliner and return to the game only when you feel like it.
As I said, I do love the rich environment and all the people and life. It is truly great. I wish I could see the rest of it without all the prissy fighting and potion drinking.
Perhaps if I was a helpless human hero, I could understand better how I needed all the artificial and magical supplements so I could battle each class of enemy.