It always was. Imo anyways.
This is also a matter of perspective. What changed my views on it was actually picking up Demon's Souls a decade ago from the 10 dollar PS3 bargain bin.
The Souls series is seen as difficult, though mostly it's punishing of mistakes, and often brutally so. The only thing you lose when you die is time, ultimately. Time helping kill a boss to regain humanity and souls, for instance. Time running back to the boss you died to, and any loss of composure during the corpse walk of shame, because you want your estus/Sunny D swigs for the boss you just died to. Not the trash mobs you shouldn't be taking damage from in the first place.
Death is an inconvenience and a tool to teach, in games
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