OP, I don't even know where to begin...
Level design is bland? Disagree. Bloodborne has some of the best level design in a video game ever. No offense, but I have to assume you used the wrong phrase with this criticism. Many of the levels loop back around in natural ways, but funnels you intuitively towards the critical path nicely. You unlock short cuts that you previously saw, giving you a sense of accomplishment through exploration; and sometimes these short cuts are well hidden and connect entire areas you didn't realize could or would connect. There is a sense of cohesiveness only matched by Dark Souls 1. Not to mention multiple ways to progress through levels, hidden early access points to areas/bosses if you explore, etc. It is superb and I would say both objectively and subjectively stands as a fantastic example to level design in the industry.
The world is bland. Disagree. The color palette is mostly brown, but aside from that I don't know how you could say it's bland. The level design, as previously talked about, make exploring interesting and rewarding. The gothic architecture present in a lot of the game is impeccably detailed and gives this Victorian/Lovecraftian nightmare of a game tremendous atmosphere. As does he mostly diegetic soundscape. And the enemy design is just fantastic. There are grotesque things that make your skin crawl, and some surprising moments that will make you jump the first time you play. You could make the argument that there isn't enough variety in the world design, but the argument that what is there is bland is a poor one.
The game is sluggish and trial and error. Disagree. Rarely, especially if we don't include Chalice Dungeons, are you going to encounter something unfair. In the first level a guy pops up from around the corner, and maybe you got hit or even died, but it serves as a lesson to pay attention to your surroundings. If you are haphazardly running through fun the game not paying attention you are going to miss the audio and visual clues to ambushes. You are going to miss the countless enemies hanging off the edge or above you that you can exploit if you pay attention. You are going to miss the obvious trap. If you allow yourself to be lulled into a false sense of security that's a you problem. But, most of us still fall prey to it and die. But in a game like this, death is inevitable and it's not about "getting gud" it's about the mentality you have. You need patience. Judging by your post you simply don't have the patience for a game like this - and that has nothing to do with skill or lack thereof, but you don't seem to have the right attitude.
And the game is the exact opposite of sluggish. It's responsive, accurate and fast paced. The rally system feeds perfectly into the design doctrine of the game both in terms of wanting the player to be aggressive while also punishing players who aren't patient. It's a delicate balance, and while it's not always perfect (and in some cases not well balanced), generally it's very well done.
And yeah, your character is a blank slate. And yeah the story is somewhat abstract and minimally told. I understand if that type of storytelling isn't for somebody - honestly I'd prefer more straightforward storytelling in FromSoftware games, maybe not entirely but at least the main story - but if you actually try to understand what's going on at least on a superficial level it's oretty disturbing and pretty interesting. It's cosmic horror done very well, and while I personally would prefer more traditional storytelling this specific brand of horror is actually complimented by the way the game's narrative unfolds and how obfuscated and confusing it is.
I could go further, but what's the point?
