Building comparison
head to head
BastionvsDarksiders
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Bastion
Optimization · Practiced Mastery
An isometric action RPG narrated as you play.
Darksiders
Execution · Practiced Mastery
Zelda-meets-God-of-War action adventure starring the horseman War.
Bastion leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery); Darksiders leans Execution (Practiced Mastery).
BastionDarksiders
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 6
Darksiders leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Bastion
Action combat needs timing and aim.
Darksiders
combo-driven combat with dodge timing
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Bastion
Enemies are scripted.
Darksiders
enemies are scripted
Variance2 vs 1
Bastion leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Bastion
Minor loot variance.
Darksiders
world and bosses are fixed
Optimization6 vs 6
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Bastion
Weapon and idol builds reward planning.
Darksiders
Zelda-style dungeons and upgrade routing
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.