Swapped my Minecraft energy into Elden Ring for a bit and here's a random shotgun blast of thoughts:
1) Fromsoft storytelling is so bleak! This isn't a criticism, to be clear; I don't much like tragedies, for the most part, and they love to tell tragedies, so there's a lot of me being like well RIP Rogier and Rogier's leggies, sacrificed because he was a Nice Lad which is not allowed
(I'm still enjoying the story and lore but at an emotional distance, if that makes sense)
2) I don't know which parts of the story George RR Martin spearheaded but I have my strong suspicions he is responsible for a lot of the character names and I'mma rant for a secco!!!
It's important when storytelling (general imho disclaimer for this point and all my following points) to have characters named distinctly from each other! This doesn't have to be over-the-top, like I do think Rennala/Ranni/Renna are similar in ways that make sense and are still identifiable as separate people. Renna fits as a diminutive version of Rennala, and makes sense she would name a child that. Ranni fits in similar ways, but is distinct, and works being distinct since she's the most plot-important character of the three (I know Renna is technically her as well but my impression is that was maybe a sister or relative whose name she borrowed before you out her as Ranni the Witch, idk for sure though). But, like--
D, and his twin brother, D*
Diallos
Gostoc
Gideon
Godwyn
Gowry
Godrick
(I know some of the above are technically a lineage/family name type thing but I think it's clunky and bad)
Marika
Melina
Malenia
Miquella goes on here because the way it's pronounced agonizes me (Mickela????) although I get he and Malenia have matchy twin names
etc., those are the ones I struggle with the most and it's turned most of the character names into word salad for me. I think they should've cleaned that up! The lore is already intricate and there are a lot of characters, it would've been nice to take the extra time to make some of them more distinct from each other from a dialogue and writing standpoint. Even something like what @KnightOfCups had us do in BSFF where we keep a list of character names to limit sounds that are too close would've gone super far. Just feels kinda rookie, which is why I'm blaming it on George RR Martin.
*it's very funny to me that Vampire Hunter D also has a twin, and his name is also D (kinda, it's a long story), so I don't know if someone was a fan or if undead hunters just have a brand
3) I forget what my third point was but, game good