My first clear of V2S was via PF, and I'd cleared it several times more via PF -- and I had a static at the time. (Same goes for V3S). But this was in the earlier days, when a lot of very motivated people were doing learning parties. I feel PF learning parties gradually got more rather than less difficult as people who would be likely to clear them succeeded (and then stopped joining learning parties afterwards). So if anything, the stringency of the challenge on each individual player has risen.

But you should quit if your PF team doesn't want to discuss what conventions you all are going to use for the various mechanics. There are several ways to do most things, and if you are not on the same page you are wasting your time.

It is considerably more difficult than V1S, you're right. But it's not much more difficult than Hashmal was in week 1. Good luck and endure!