I finally get around playing Demon's Souls: Part 2

So I was requested to talk more about my experience with Demon's Souls and I figure why not?
So having acquired a brand new controller to play with due to the three of I was provided with having issues, I sat down this evening to play some more.
I entered world 1-2 and began the infamous wall run. I was able to avoid fiery death but on the second section of the wall I got slapped in the head several times trying to position myself for the run before I decided to make the inside wall run. From that I have concluded that dogs are indeed terrible bastards. After that I made the run on the third section with no trouble and slew the pair of Blue Eye Knights with only one near death.
I then engaged the Tower Knight. His assistants were slain without issue, then I got down to ankle shanking. It was going fine until he got up after his first fall and decided to just stab me to death.
I need a bigger shield.
Not wanting to do that again immediately I entered world 2-1 and have concluded that having chop resistant skin doesn't help when your best armament is a mining pickaxe. The Fat Ministers where their usual selves. I got into ranged duel with the second, both of us firing shots over the broken bridge. One of us had literal fire, the other had cover. Shortly after I opened the shortcut and was most pleased with myself. This feeling lasted until I got myself surrounded and killed by the first crystal lizard. Little bastard.
Using the looted ore I had been gathering, I upgraded my halberd all the way to +4. Feeling dangerous I returned to 1-1 to finish a duel. The Red Eye Knight promptly killed me. But I was emboldened by the amount of damage I had inflicted with a single strike and swiftly returned. This time with a coating of turpentine I slew the Knight with 4 hits in about 10 seconds. Final score of 2-1 his favour, but only one of us will be respawning so I count that as a victory.
I then decided to try my luck in 5-1, knowing that my chosen weapon hangs waiting in 5-2. All went well aside from accidentally consuming a Widow's Lotus until I came upon the rats. Although my first swing slaughtered the swarm leaving only 6 remaining I found myself unable to hit them. It's a downwards chop but doesn't strike the ground? After almost being gnawed of a ledge I run back and switched out to the morningstar I had picked up only a minute prior. It's overhead smash proved sufficient in smashing the rats. I then decided to try my luck against the oversized goblin and his club. Turns out I can't really block those swings and the flattened me right of the ledge.
And that was where I decided to leave things for this evening.