Building comparison
head to head
Diablo IIIvsPortal
Diablo III asks more than Portal, and the gap is variance.
Diablo III
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A pure loot-and-build treadmill where set-bonus optimisation and Rift pushing define performance.
Portal
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The portal-gun puzzle game whose solutions are everything.
Diablo III leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Portal leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Diablo IIIPortal
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 4
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Diablo III
Greater Rift pushing has minor mechanical demand in builds
Portal
Portal placement timing modest.
Reads1 vs 0
Diablo III leans a little harder on reads, though the gap is small.
Diablo III
No meaningful adaptive opponent; co-op is cooperative
Portal
No adversary modeling player.
Variance5 vs 0
Diablo III leans clearly harder on variance.
Diablo III
Primal Ancient drops and set dungeon RNG drive the grind
Portal
Deterministic chambers; no randomness.
Optimization9 vs 8
Diablo III leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Diablo III
Set bonuses and paragon levelling are almost entirely solvable
Portal
Pure puzzle-solving optimization.
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.