[KCD1] Trying to get into game but...

Saw KCD2 doing well, decided to get original and tey it out. Tyoical big RPG fan and most of it is good. But is there anything I can do about the combat? I am sure this comes up a lot here but it is frustrating me. Find a guy with a sword, swing 3 times and a jab, blocks all perfectly then immediately cuts me, when i did a parry, get backside handed to me. More than one is worse! How did you all work through the combat?