Ok, sounds good. So I’ve got one question still.
The sweep warning sign moves. Is there a specific way you’re supposed to counter those like Mikiri for the parries? I find surprisingly on most bosses so far that you can just interrupt it with a slash? Otherwise I just jump away and slash. I feel like since everything else has a specific parry move there should be something for that?
Also are any of the special move skills useful? Because I bought one and like never ever use it.
You're supposed to jump over them, ideally making a stomp on their head, Super Mario style, and then finish it off with an aerial combo (should get 2 or 3 hits in, at least).
Later on, you can get a combat skill that's incredibly good at countering them, called "High Monk".
Also don't listen to Borys on prostethics, it all depends on how you play, whether they have some use or not (same for *some* combat arts, though they are admittedly more sparse in their usefulness).

You'll never convince me the shiled isn't useful, or the shuriken, just very situational, as it's supposed to be.
Violet shield + projected force against Sichiman warrior for example, destroys their posture in seconds, same for High Monk against the long shadow ninjas ( or O'Rin), or Shadow Rush against many enemies, or shuriken against Lady Butterfly, the axe against ROBERTOOO etc.
You can win the game without using them, but you could say the same about anything, they're there to help you, you can win the game without using R1 attack for that matter (as you can see from some challenge runs).