Oh, I actually like the DS2 Hollow look. I realize that I’m probably in the minority here. The way you can still see your character design in the Hollow state is imo best in DS2. Also the Darksign on the back looks really cool when Hollow; you can see it, if you aren’t wearing a chest piece or one with and open back like the Prisoner’s Tatters.

Yeah, the Shrine of Winter needs some barriers around it and not some sticks and dirt hills. The castle afterwards looks so cool, but the dirt paths after the Shaded Woods definitely need some more love.

The last area in the last DLC is just a giant f’ you to the player. It’s just so rude that it’s almost admirable, almost. Did you know the reindeer/unicorn things have the largest leash distance in the game. Normal enemies usually stop chasing you eventually, but the reindeers will chase you effectively forever. A tip against them is to use a big bonk weapon like a Large Club; you can pancake them with it and defeat them easier. In Frozen Eleum Loyce by the Covetous Demon you can get a +8 Large Club.
You can despawn the reindeers according to the wikis, but I couldn’t find a exact number you need to kill (maybe 15?). More complicated is it because of the spawn mechanics of the reindeers since they have many spawn location and just keep spawning. Best strategy for the Outskirts is to simply run along the right hand border and kill the reindeers when they spawn; this way you will only fight one at a time.

^{sorry for the long reply}