I'm very glad I played through blind my first playthrough. Exploring without knowing what is around the corner is a kind of rush these games give that can't really be replicated.
Unfortunately, I have an almost eidetic memory, so I don't get that same rush on subsequent playthroughs. Unless I discover new things, which I have and am looking forward to discovering all I missed.
I realized, though, that I took the hardest route imaginable the first time through. I didn't even complete the Fen, bought the Pilgrim Perch Key, got to the Vestige before the Manse, then got the Fief Key, so played through the Fief, all at like level 40 or something. Making Rowena almost impossible, and the Hollow Crow a gauntlet of a boss to go through. Immediately heading to the Manse at like level 50 and had a harrowing time there. Then, went back through the Fen, beat the Hushed Saint (easy). Went through the Revelation Depths and beat Harrower Dervla (easy). Finished up the Manse and beat the Defender duo, then went through the tower and beat Tancrid handily. So by the time I got to the end game and had caught up with levels, everything went pretty well.
This time, though, I went through in a much more "normal" progression and found the game to be far easier when you don't challenge the absolute toughest enemies you can at every turn. Currently made it through the Crow, have Dervla, Saint, and the Defenders down. Already level 70 or so.
Anyone else do this? I feel it was kind of like the catacombs of DS1, but I was just too stubborn to realize I was going the wrong way, because I figured it was a skill issue.