Building comparison
head to head
Diablo IIvsFallout: New Vegas
Neither is simply harder - they are hard in different places. Diablo II demands more variance; Fallout: New Vegas demands more execution.
Diablo II
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The genre-defining loot ARPG whose builds, runes, and trade economy players still optimize decades later.
Fallout: New Vegas
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A faction-driven RPG-shooter where build and route planning shape every ending.
Diablo II leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Fallout: New Vegas leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Diablo IIFallout: New Vegas
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 4
Fallout: New Vegas leans clearly harder on execution.
Diablo II
Positioning and potion reflexes, little else physical
Fallout: New Vegas
Shooter inputs with VATS assist
Reads0 vs 1
Fallout: New Vegas leans a little harder on reads, though the gap is small.
Diablo II
Monster AI is fully mappable
Fallout: New Vegas
Scripted factions and enemies
Variance6 vs 2
Diablo II leans clearly harder on variance.
Diablo II
Loot RNG and random maps drive the grind
Fallout: New Vegas
Some loot and crit RNG
Optimization9 vs 8
Diablo II leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Diablo II
Builds, breakpoints, rune economy, magic-find routing are the game
Fallout: New Vegas
Faction routing, perks, builds heavily rewarded
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.