1) There is magic. Most is hidden (like the equivalent to Homing Soul Mass), but if that's your thing you'll find a way to make it work. (Also, some of the "guns" are basically pyromancy.)

2) With respects to weaponry, it's important to acknowledge how distinct most of the weaponry is in terms of move sets and playstyle. It's not like the 100s of weapons in Dark Souls 2 were all as dramatic in effect as the Majestic Greatsword (the one that gave you Artorias' flips and shit). Instead of 15 different curved swords with different weights and various buffs but a single moveset, you have a single curved sword that can transform into a scythe and be fitted with various buffs.

3) Most importantly, this game is extremely nonlinear, far more than the original release of Dark Souls 2 and perhaps more than DS1. Less than half of the bosses in the game are necessary for completion, and you best believe there's a bunch of secret shit. In this era of gaming, it's weird as all hell for people to still not know what some items do or how many covenants are in the game.