People think the Souls games get easier because they've gotten better at them and used to their design and mechanics, but in reality the mobs are smarter, have more grab attacks, more ambushes, hit harder, have more health and some of the tougher ones that used to not respawn after defeat in old games now respawn upon death. ( black knights)
If you go back to DS1 you'd be surprised how it easy it is. While I don't think these games are that 'hard' as they are challenging, I do think this one in particular has the most punishing 'cheap' mobs in it.
The bosses don't get that hard til later in the game though.
Your first Souls game will most likely be your hardest because it's a new experience, they get easier as you play them. That's why people remember DS1 or Demons being harder than this game and Bloodborne, but go back and play them you'd be surprised how easy they are now that you're accustomed to the series.
If this game had come out before DS1 people would say this was hard and DS1 was easy imo.