Did not expect the game to be this long. I don't think I've ever played a more frustrating game that I just kept playing anyway. I was expecting something Dark Soulsy yeah, but there was so much theorycrafting that ultimately it had me mentally stressed as I had to keep track of so many little mechanics the game was tossing my way. I also didn't like the mission based structure of it and would have preferred a consistent persistent world like in DS.
Also, definitely don't play it for the garbage story. It would've been fine but I wish the game was more about yokai hunting rather than the historical reliving of the Sengoku era all over again. It was kind of like enjoying Jojo 1 and 2 then suddenly everyone has a Stand now and you start acquiring them like Megaman powerups. It is a Capcom game after all. Still, this game is pretty much a spiritual successor to not only the Onimusha series (which I just beat recently) but Genji as well.
I *might* go on and play the sequel but I think I'm gonna take a rest from here for awhile.
The sequel is a lot of the same, BUT it's better at everything. The story in the first game is garbage, but great in the second game. The gameplay keeps all the same mechanics, but you get more weapons to play with and a new mechanic where you turn into a Yokai.
I thought the original was like a 7 and the sequel was a 9 despite being largely the same in structure. So take that as you will. I recommend you give the second game a fair shot but definitely give it a while to wash the bad taste of the first game out of your mouth.