The Dark Souls 2 DLC doesn't fuck around. I'm blazing through the main game with little trouble or challenge, but the DLC is more like what you'd expect from one of these games. In fact, it's severe enough that I need to put it aside for now. I'm going to clear through most of the vanilla game (which I'm close to doing anyway), copy my save to a USB, get the vanilla ending, then copy my stuff back and save the DLC and Scholar ending for after Dark Souls 3. And without DS2's handholding, I might be in better shape for DS2's DLC areas, as rumor has it Dark Souls 3 will be the hardest of the series.
I will give Dark Souls 2 credit for how much better it gets after lighting the four Primal Bonfires. Before, there seemed to be bosses galore just because "this is a place where a boss would be." But since getting the King's Ring, I'm seeing surprising restraint. I know there are things I can pick fights with if I choose, but they aren't being used as dividers between areas.
I will give Dark Souls 2 credit for how much better it gets after lighting the four Primal Bonfires. Before, there seemed to be bosses galore just because "this is a place where a boss would be." But since getting the King's Ring, I'm seeing surprising restraint. I know there are things I can pick fights with if I choose, but they aren't being used as dividers between areas.