I was having fun, but the game is just.... way to difficult. Every fight I end up almost dying. That's every single one. The slime queen in the dream, the wizard, even what I assumed would be the easiest coliseum fight. And I ran out of healing items almost instantly because of this. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but the difficulty is genuinely ridiculous.
I can see where you're coming from. This game does make you put your items to use. But I wouldn't say the entire game is outright ridiculously tough. The worst fights are usually when the hero is by their lonesome. (Unfortunately, the case for about 50-60% of the game.) Then the actually difficult fights are in the coliseum. They were explicitly made to be rather challenging, but of course, not outright impossible. Bluntly speaking, I believe Mr. doo(d), wanted players to come back to the coliseum for a later challenge. Rather than experience what you went through. Which was basically, using all your items, just to survive and win even a single fight.
Aside from the coliseum though. I can't really say if you're doing something wrong. This game does have some luck to its fights. But it doesn't make the game outright give some players Hard difficulty and others Easy mode. If anything, the game should be outright easier. Once you reach its current end (chapter 3) as from that point on. We hopefully have a more permanent teammate by our side.