Building comparison
head to head
Age of Empires II: Definitive EditionvsStarCraft
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is reads, and it is a single point.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Optimization · Grand Arena
The genre-defining historical RTS, still alive on the ladder.
StarCraft
Optimization · Grand Arena
A real-time strategy classic where perfected build orders and mechanical speed decide most matches.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition leans Optimization (Grand Arena); StarCraft leans Optimization (Grand Arena).
Age of Empires II: Definitive EditionStarCraft
Axis by axis
Execution7 vs 7
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
micro and macro APM at high ladder
StarCraft
APM and micro control ceiling is huge
Reads7 vs 6
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition leans a little harder on reads, though the gap is small.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
PvP ladder rewards adaptation
StarCraft
scouting and predicting human opponent builds
Variance2 vs 1
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
random map spawns minor
StarCraft
minimal hidden info beyond fog of war
Optimization8 vs 9
StarCraft leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
civ build orders deeply mapped
StarCraft
build orders and economy are near-solvable
A matching score does not mean a matching test. Two games can both sit at 10 on execution and demand completely different things of you - which is why the reasoning above matters more than the number beside it.