Yes, combat in Risen isn't all that fluid and is pretty random given the odds are equal. This is why developing your char is more important than trying to master it's clunky combat. It was the same thing with gothics. Those, who say that Risen combat is super awesome are full of shit, of course.
I don't know if you are being sarcastic or not, but this is exactly my point. Twitch skills don't come into play when enemies attacks are executed instantly or when enemies are attacking at the same time. For example something like this:
might seem impressive. But when you pay attention you'll notice the attacks he's "dodging" are starting only after he already started dodging.
The enemy is attacking because he dodged, he didn't dodge because the enemy attacked.
When you look which attacks he actually dodged, then he legitimately dodges the jumping lunge move once and he does it
because there is enough distance to actually see the attack while it's happening (00:47).
The other time he dodges it (00:55)
the attack already missed him and the dodge is just an "oh shit" input. He dodges the bite attack at 00:25
because he's reacting to the ashbeast going forward not the attack itself.
During 00:34 it looks like he actually dodged the bite attack but I'm almost certain it's the same case as in 00:25, he reacted to the beast moving forward, not the attack itself.
The attack he actually consistently dodges is the swipe attack,
which has a short windup animation you can see, something the vast majority of animal attacks don't have.
