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

Optimization · Pure Optimization
A surreal escape room testing deduction of hidden item-and-puzzle chains.

Optimization · Pure Optimization
A comedic point-and-click adventure of pirate puzzles with fixed solutions.
Cube Escape: Birthday leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Escape from Monkey Island leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Escape from Monkey Island leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Cube Escape: Birthday
Pointing and clicking, zero dexterity
Escape from Monkey Island
Pointing and walking only
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Cube Escape: Birthday
Fully scripted scenes, nothing adapts
Escape from Monkey Island
No opponent
Cube Escape: Birthday leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Cube Escape: Birthday
Puzzle logic is hidden until items are discovered
Escape from Monkey Island
Puzzle solutions hidden until discovered
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Cube Escape: Birthday
Each surreal puzzle has one fixed solvable answer
Escape from Monkey Island
Once known, every puzzle has one fixed answer
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.