I have started gaming during  nes as well. I disagree with you. Bloodborne and sekiro were the hardest games ever for me while being fun. I have also beaten halo on legendry it was a very fun and balanced experience no way was it harder then bloodborne and sekiro for me. Of course bloodborne was my first souls game.  I have beaten ninja gaiden 1 and 2 nes as well, no save states and ninja gaiden 3 using a save states.  I never played MGS 2 on hardest difficulty though as the gameplay is boring to be honest after you get past the graphics and being blown away the gameplay ain't great, MGS5 shits on the whole series gameplay wise. most of nes games ain't hard once you use save states like i said thats just cheap hard and shouldn't count cause it's not fun.

you seem to be really good at souls games for most people including many publications  they are the hardest games. 

Also GOW was a button masher, i played it on ps2 and didn't enjoy it. later i played GOW3 on ps3 put on hardest setting that were available and you can button mash your way through the whole thing.

We are talking AAA games being challenging not something made by a small indie. The reason they gave challenging mass apeal cause they actually made ones that are great and the challenge is fun and not broken. 

Hardest games I've played is Actraiser 2 and MDK2. Couldn't make any progress. Which sucks because the 1st Actraiser is amazing.

Fair enough.  Outside Kos I never found BB that hard.  Ludwig holy sword is early game and is a wrecking ball.  Same with the scythe in Souls 1.  Demon has starting class with Halberd which is perfectly great for the whole game.  Farron Greatsword is fairly early and is amazing.  

I just usually build HP, endurance and scale per weapon.  Outside a few bosses, never had much problem.  

I also buff with armor, rings and shields that generate stamina faster.  The games can be wrecked minus a few bosses.  I've solo beaten all of them through NG+5.  

Edit

Also I never use the a shield outside stamina gen.  Also dual hand for extra damage.  And **** armor, go fast roll.  

Cave is not indie and is one of the most renowned developers of the genre. Huge arcade hits and many ported to consoles spanning decades.

Hardest games I've played is Actraiser 2 and MDK2. Couldn't make any progress. Which sucks because the 1st Actraiser is amazing.

Use save states. Most of these retro games are just cheap difficulty cause they make you start over. I can't see how it's harder then sekiro many bosses took me 5 hours plus. Hardest  retro games I beat were tnmt, ninja gaiden nes all of them and battle toads use save states to memorize clear bosses and areas then they can beaten with out save states. I used save states for ninja gaiden 3 and battle toads.

I largely agree, old games are hard in a bad way.  Sekiro is old school hard, too hard imo.  Souls never bothered me.  Tough, but not hard.