head to head

Desktop Dungeons cover artvsTorchlight cover art

Desktop DungeonsvsTorchlight

Desktop Dungeons leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Torchlight leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).

EXECUTION1 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE5 /10OPTIMIZATION9 /10
Desktop DungeonsTorchlight

Axis by axis

Execution1 vs 2

Torchlight leans harder on execution: Click-to-kill combat with minimal mechanical demand

Reads0 vs 0

Even - both lean on reads about the same.

Variance5 vs 5

Even - both lean on variance about the same.

Optimization9 vs 8

Desktop Dungeons leans harder on optimization: Regen-based puzzle math makes each dungeon nearly solvable

Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.

full breakdown

Desktop Dungeons

full breakdown

Torchlight