head to head
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is variance, and it is a single point.

Optimization · Systems & Chaos
A turn-based Lovecraftian investigation game about deduction and dice-based combat.

Variance · Systems & Chaos
A cooperative horror investigation about identifying a randomised ghost from evidence.
Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); Phasmophobia leans Variance (Systems & Chaos).
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace
Turn-based actions need no twitch
Phasmophobia
Minimal aiming; you just walk and use tools.
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace
Scripted enemies don't model the player
Phasmophobia
Ghost behaviour is randomised, not adaptive to you.
Phasmophobia leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace
Dice-driven combat and hidden mystery elements
Phasmophobia
Ghost type and evidence rolls are hidden each contract.
Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace
Investigation deduction and combat tactics drive it
Phasmophobia
Evidence trees and equipment loadouts are solvable checklists.
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.