The first Dark Souls PC port is notorious for being borderline unplayable with a mouse and keyboard unless you tweak the settings or use plug ins, most just used controllers for ease of use. With later versions of the game, m&k controls seem to have gotten better. Fast forward to today, most PC versions of modern soulslikes allow for both control configurations while still usually suggesting a controller.
Which do you prefer? Have you tried playing with m&k?
Good question! I ended up enjoying K&M over gamepad for these games. But the experience is just as you mentioned. It often needs some kind of mod or plugin and a bit of tweaking to improve the experience. This was also because I had very bad luck with gamepad longevity until I purchased a Steam Controller (the one everyone hates and I love), but then again some of the SC’s best settings IMO mix features from gamepad and K&M setups and therefore require me to configure a game’s keybinds anyway.
Now the decision to play with a gamepad or K&M just depends on me wanting to sit ik front of a desktop or on a couch or bed, but since the SC lets me use it’s trackpads and motion controls I’m pretty comfortable anyway. More precise and durable than joysticks and easier to clean afterwards. Now I’m aiming for a mouse with a trackpad instead of a scroll wheel for the same reason.