Eureka solo 1-20, at 20 go solo lvl 25 mobs without the elemental wheel on defense..there's something challenging for you and it's also pretty hardcore. No getting help, no healing jobs, tank jobs, pure dps with pots for healing, absolutely no getting raised if you die.

This game has never been "hard", from what I hear EQ was hard, a lot of old Korea/Chinese MMOs are pretty hard from what I hear as well.