Let's Talk About Games

Apart from being slower there is also just something to be said about the exploration and level design of DS1 that is still unparalleled. A lot of the focus when talking about Soulslikes tends to be about the combat gameplay and the difficulty and design of the bosses, with exploration often falling to the wayside. Lies of P gets talked about as one of the best Soulslikes despite being essentially just one straight linear line.

The interconnected world in the first 2/3rds of DS1 is just a masterclass of level design and the nature of the "push forward towards the relief of finding the safety of the next bonfire" plays so well into a more open game with actual exploration. Which as you say gets emphasised further with the lack of fast travel, making you feel like you're truly out on an expedition into a hostile world. Elden Ring - despite being fully open world -never gave me the same feeling of relief as I got the first time I cleared Blighttown and labourously climbed my way out and saw the world connect back into Firelink.