Welcome, to this very dead part of the forum.
Is hard mode doable for a first playthrough , or does it rely on previous game knowledge and would prove too frustrating?
The latter, by far. The game has its way of surprising you with far too powerful creeps among a hundred pushovers. Also: No resetting skill or attribute points.
Its all about knowing which spells are viable and in which order to explore the overworld. Normal mode has the same problems, but is manageable.