Everyone knows this game is hard so here are some hints to help you win it-
1. Dont overkill, when you see your enemy lose his head or BOTH arms stop attacking him, hes dead.
2. Save your lives of the thousand gods, if your about to die in a boss fight use it, increases your max health and restores it!
3. Dont upgrade the sword, at around chapter 9 you get the dragons eye which will max it out for you
4. Save your money, don't just upgrade sometimes you will need food too
5. Best Hint, When you fight the skeleton mini boss(forget the chapter) you then fight little skeleton dogs, kill them all then run up the wall to the cliff and then jump back into the bone pit the dogs will SPAWN AGAIN, you can now farm as much gold essence as you want!