I always found the hardest parts of Dark Souls 1 and 2 to be the really janky bits. Platforming on sloped surfaces, tiny platforms in combat areas that drop off into endless pits, spells that go through geometry to hit you, etc. So far I've seen almost none of that in DS3, and I'm all for it.

I just had to summon for the first time. Bummed me out but I was so happy to get past a Boss that cloned itself.. One thing I do notice is that some(not all) situations do allow for cheesing. It's written in if 'you look carefully'. One critter struck me as insane, but there was a way. Not sure I should feel bad or not...

I didn't like BB. I liked DS2 marginally more than one..graphically. Very loyal to my character in DS 1 and her halberds. My character in DS2 was fine but less specific. DS 3 seems to be finding himself hanging in there with a decent sword, but I want something more. All in all, dark souls 3 seems mostly the latest progression of the whole dark souls ethos.

As somebody who got into the 'souls games' with Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3 is my first 'core souls' game I cannot comment if it's easier or not compared to the other souls games. I myself was however struggling at the start quite a bit as a Bloodborne player (who has gone through Bloodborne multiple times and is close to the platinum). I had quite a bit of trouble getting used to actually playing a class (cleric was my choice) and the shield gameplay. Where I can breeze through most of Bloodborne NG content and challance dungeons I was originally actually finding myself in trouble with the first boss in Dark Souls 3. Only when I started to actually apply Bloodborne fighting tactic's (I 2hand a lot now) I got a lot better at it.

What I am trying to say is that I think DS3 is probably still quite challenging combat-wise if I never experienced that type of combat, even if you played something similar in style. Now that I have spend some time with DS3 and slowly am starting to try out the 'sword & shield' gameplay I am getting used to it. A lot of it I think comes down to experience with this type of game...

Doesnt seem easier to me, but maybe it depends on playstyle. I find dealing with these mages with their range and caste speed as a no shield dex build harder than anything in 1 or 2. But then again the real difficulty in 1 was the platforming and figuring out where to go and that stuff is certainly easier in 3.