There are a lot of in-game systems to keep the difficulty manageable.

The first, and most important, is that the game isn’t linear. If you’re having trouble beating a particular boss you can fuck off somewhere else and level up or find new gear then come back when you feel more prepared.

Second, almost every boss and area can be done co-op. You can “Summon” up to two other players to help you out beating a boss or clearing an area. The boss gets a little stronger, but 3 on 1 really improves your odds.

If you don’t want to use multiplayer there’s a system called spirit ashes that let’s you summon NPC AI to fight for you. Some of them are very powerful and can make fighting a boss much easier.

There are fairly frequent checkpoints in the game, so you’re rarely very far from a checkpoint (called a “Site of Grace” in game) if you die and need to run back to pick up your runes/xp points.

Is it challenging? Yes. Is it demanding? Yes. Are there bosses that will absolutely kick your ass twenty times in a row before you eke out a win on the 21st try? Definitely.

But it is also the easiest Soulsbourne game for players new to the series to get in to. The biggest things to remember going in are a.) You will die a lot and that’s a normal and expected part of gameplay and b.) You can always go somewhere else if you’re having trouble with a particular boss, or summon other players to help carry you through.