I recently heard it was a brutal experience and have been thinking of trying it as a challenge.

Here is a list of the changes that were made in one of the balancing updates: https://pastebin.com/HxMjdaBx

Some of the notable changes were:

• Upgrade scaling buffed 5-20%
• Overall increase in souls gained (~2-2.5 times more)
• Damage reduced on some mobs?
• HP lowered on some mobs?
• Reduced acquisition range on normal enemies.
• Supposedly reduced poise on some enemies.
• Bosses drop Humanity and Homeward Bones
• Ghosts and Skeletons give souls now.
• Twinkling Titanite drop rate improved.
• Pyromancers in Catacombs drop Skull Lanterns.
• Darkwraiths in New Londo drop Dark Hand.
• Male Undead Merchant: Also sells bottomless box
• Female Undead Merchant: Sells Arrows / Crossbolts
• Andrei: Sells Arrows / Crossbolts
• Domnhal of Xena: Sells Arrows / Crossbolts, Master Key (5000)
• Giant Blacksmith: Sells Arrows / Crossbolts, Small Titanite Shards, Large Tit Shards, Twinkling (8000 per, inf amount), Green Shards, Repair box, upgrade boxes
• Vamos: Arrows / Crossbolts, Small Tit, Large tit, Repair box / upgrade boxes
• Inglwood: Sells Transient Curses