Dark Souls starts off much the same way, you are underpowered in the beginning, but then once you push through the opening things get easier, until you hit the wall that is Laurel and Hardy about half-way through the game.
--
One other aspect which may also he holding down the TT score of the Souls game is the ability to summon 2 allies to help as many bosses and other tough obstacles become fairly trivial with the help of even 1 other summoning partner as they can take the heat off the host long enough to heal. Pikachu and Snorlax are a bitch and a half when soloing, but are much, much easier with 2 players helping out.