I've never played a Souls game before but I bought this and pushed through 130 hours to really master it (at least I think I did). I find it one of the best games I've ever played, just a wonderful game. Having said that, it's the most stressful game I've ever played as well, hundreds of moments of yelling at a boss or regular mob for cheaping me out. But, doesn't remove the fact that it's a gem.
I recommend it for someone who really wants a challenge and understands it's all about patience and not jumping into combat hacking and slashing; that will just lead to your demise and have feelings of quiting!