I don't think it's too hard. I'm by no means a hardcore player. I play after work to relax. I will never buy a game if I even read one review that contains the words "difficult" or "challenging". I was attracted to this because it's so casual, at least in the beginning.

Best thing is simply not to die. Always play like you're doing some iron man challenge. Be prepared, don't be stingy with food, have stamina and health potions in your quickbar, accept to flee to fight another day, always keep a stamina reserve when travelling, always be in a safe space before night falls, take your sweet time before invading another biome, portals inside small pallisade forts are the best bases during expeditions.

In my last run I died once: a troll appeared out of nowhere on a very small island where I had just landed. He hit my boat while I was sailing away. In my current run I'm now in the mountains, mining silver, and haven't died yet.