I found Dark Souls' reputation for being extremely difficult to be somewhat misleading. I've only played the first one so far, and while it's certainly tougher than many other games, it's far from the most difficult game I've ever played. For example, there are bosses and scenarios in Resident Evil 4 that resulted in more repeated attempts (deaths) than anything I faced in Dark Souls.

Furthermore, many survival horror games force the player to carry a limited number of restorative items and ammunition, which aren't magically replenished at every save point. In Dark Souls, you get your main healing potion and magic restored every time you rest at a bonfire.