Building comparison
head to head
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick ObscuravsFire Emblem: Awakening
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is optimization, and it is a single point.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A Victorian-era RPG where the magic-versus-tech split and schematic mastery reward deep system optimization.
Fire Emblem: Awakening
Optimization · Pure Optimization
Engineering unit pairings and reclass paths to dominate maps whose enemy scripts are fully mappable.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Fire Emblem: Awakening leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick ObscuraFire Emblem: Awakening
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 2
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Real-time mode is optional; turn-based eliminates all twitch
Fire Emblem: Awakening
No twitch elements; pair-up placement is the only spatial decision under time
Reads1 vs 1
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
All NPCs and factions follow scripted dialogue and combat routines
Fire Emblem: Awakening
Enemies follow simple aggro patterns on fixed maps
Variance5 vs 5
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Hidden technology diagrams and faction reaction thresholds create exploration unknowns
Fire Emblem: Awakening
Hit and crit rates plus random level-up stats create run variance
Optimization9 vs 8
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Magic versus technology stat split and schematic discovery are deeply optimizable
Fire Emblem: Awakening
Marriage pairings and Second Seal reclass chains are the optimization spine
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.