Building comparison
head to head
Dave the DivervsStarbound
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Dave the Diver
Optimization · Pure Optimization
Day-job hybrid of relaxed spearfishing dives and nightly sushi-bar management.
Starbound
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A 2D sandbox of procedurally generated planets driven by crafting progression.
Dave the Diver leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Starbound leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Dave the DiverStarbound
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 3
Dave the Diver leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Dave the Diver
harpoon aiming and sushi-service minigames
Starbound
Light platforming and combat, generous margins
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Dave the Diver
no adaptive opponent
Starbound
Procedural NPCs follow simple fixed behaviours
Variance4 vs 4
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Dave the Diver
daily fish spawns and sea changes vary
Starbound
Procedural planets and loot keep early exploration unknown
Optimization7 vs 7
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Dave the Diver
restaurant economy and gear upgrades drive progress
Starbound
Gear tiers, farming, and progression routes dominate
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.