Assuming "hardcore" means "difficult", why would you think the campaign module would get any harder just because it's set outside of the Sword Coast?
Sorry if that was unclear - two separate thoughts.
A) the first three APs were set west of Cormyr and north of Amn ; subsequent ones, while not strictly "sword coast" had plenty of ties to it. This one sounds like it's at least primarily focused outside the region.
B) I've had plenty of complaints before over the lethality level of previous APs. I'm playing in PotA now, and, though I'm having fun, thanks to the DM, I still haven't felt "threatened" the way I have with pretty much every Paizo Adventure ever. You can chalk some of that up to system, but I chalk some of it up to adventure structure - most of the encounters have felt pretty low-key, and most of the encounters have only had four or five fors and very few spellcasters or creatures with special abilities. Having read through OotA, it felt similar. Past the opening chapter, and the obvious "you should run from this now" plot elements, none of the threats felt "edge of your seat." Even the Tomb of Horrors from Yawning Portal felt a bit of a let-down.
(I have to be honest though, that's my quirk -- I've not been satisfied with anyone's version since Bruce Cordell's Return version in the 90s.)
It might be my perception, but the homebrew stuff I've done I've had better success with, releasing threats in waves, or including more smaller monsters and magic-using threats to complicate the battlefield.
