can you site specific locations where you're seeing these repeated textures? otherwise this sounds like a massive case of selective memory. dark souls 1 has some of the worst abuse of texture repetition of the generation. lost izalith and demon ruins are especially bad.
I wonder if you've also been playing the game.
There are plenty of locations in Dark Souls 2 that abuse flat surface texture repetition (common during the PS1 days). One area in particular is almost a joke since it has the same single texture repeated
everywhere: floors, walls, columns, hills and other objects look exactly the same. I am, of course, speaking of the infamous
There is no location in Dark Souls 1 that comes close to that in terms of lack of polish. Not a single one.
In Dark Souls 2 you find yourself entering void square rooms with nothing but a bonfire or a handful of objects several times. Even when it's a sporadic occurrence, it is heavily accentuated because you sometimes reach such locations once you've gone through a relevant moment like a boss battle or an area transition. The lack of lighting only worsens the already shocking effect of gazing upon such a disgraceful sight.
Dark Souls 1 has repeated textures on the surface of most of its architecture, but the stochastic geometry, sporadic texture variations, FOV, lighting, brightness and contrast levels, the emphasis on your character and the highly detailed geometry of most enemies help together to ignore most of those secondary issues.
I'm going through a 2nd. DaS1 run specifically for visual and aesthetic comparisons and it is just unbelievable how many steps down the sequel took.
Yes, DaS1 has a very tight and reserved color palette, but it works because it is always, constantly coherent. There are no contradictions between any of the foreground and background elements throughout the game (even when you switch armors or weapons). Nothing ever truly stands out; it always meshes and comes together perfectly.
This is something that DaS2 lacks from the very moment you get the chance to move your character. He feels like an intruder in the world. He stands out immediately, like he doesn't (visually) belong in that universe and this reminder prevails for over 50 hours.