Not sure I can agree with that. Sand People fights (I choose Tatooine as the first planet to go to) are a lot tougher for me than the late game ever was. It's probably because by the late game, you realise how OP people with Force powers (or Force buffs) are and find no gameplay reason not to bring a party entirely made up of Jedi. Jolee, Juhani and you with buffs powers; you and Jolee stun the waves of enemies as you chop through them. That, and you should have the best gear by that point, possibly combined with a tough build.
EDIT: I also remembered the Hulak Wraids on Tatooine as your first planet. That right there is the hardest combat in the game, period (I haven't used ranged characters before against those buggers, so I will try that in my next playthrough).
I never intended to change your opinion on the game forcefully, I only wanted to answer at the very least one of your questions (or what I assumed to be questions) with that quote. The video recommendation is unrelated, I personally find that lorerun a wonderful viewing experience.