Very good review, though I would disagree with you on the combat part.
Comparing RPG combat system to Dark Souls isn't really the best IMO, for a one simple reason. Dark Souls is a game driven by its combat, to a degree most other RPGs just arent. That of course requires an incredible attention towards the combat and requires it to feel almost perfect right from the start. While other RPGs (and the Witcher RPGs especially) can focus on different part of the gameplay. For example the Witcher games focus on the narrative very heavily. And part of this narrative is you becoming more proficient as a Witcher as you go through the game - as you regain your memories. It makes complete sense within the narrative and you have access to more skills would break that immersion.
I understand your point, but I don't think that's a good reason not to compare them. They feel similar enough. You block, you roll, you wait for an opening. The fact that the Witcher 2 doesn't focus in the combat as much as Dark Souls isn't an excuse for its shortcomings, and it certainly isn't an excuse for how they imposed artificial limitations in the combat for the sake of character progression, like I explained with the Whirl skill.