I think you're not thinking of the folk who aren't great at these games, the majority casual crowd.
I have 3 mates who are my IRL hang out with mates, usual guys but only mild gamers, one is using all the rings except the combo one, and finding it still hard. One is using no rings and is finding it like a Souls to us 'hardcore gamers' and the other is finding it fine and using the dog ring (I'm also using the dog ring for now, until I've got my skills 100%).
I'm aces at slower games like Souls games and even didn't have too much trouble with Sekiro and Nioh, but I've still had a few close calls and 2 deaths in my game so far (I think I'm 25 hours in now, thought was more but seems it's that).
I find the combat empowering, in that i know if I don't mess up, I will slaughter my enemy, but I still need to pay attention for dodges and openings to take advantage of, I'm having a blast.
I think if you went in wanting balls to the wall challenge from the get-go, then it's the wrong game (or possibly, they should make FF mode avail for 1st playthrough, I'm still thinking on that one).
One million dollar idea I did have that they could patch in quite easily, they could put a Soulraga ring into the game, makes Clive take 20% more damage and closes parry windows by 20% or something for those wanting to go the other way in their first playthrough.....Yoshi, what you think??