Building comparison
head to head
Distraint 2vsThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Neither is harder. They score identically on all four axes, so the difference between them is in kind, not degree.
Distraint 2
Optimization · Light / Casual
A short scripted horror story with light item puzzles - mood over mechanics.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Optimization · Light / Casual
A gorgeous first-person mystery about piecing together a boy's disappearance.
Distraint 2 leans Optimization (Light / Casual); The Vanishing of Ethan Carter leans Optimization (Light / Casual).
Distraint 2The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Distraint 2
Walking and simple item use only
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Walking and looking, nothing more
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Distraint 2
Horror beats are scripted, nothing reacts to you
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
No opponent
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Distraint 2
Scares and solutions are unknown once
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
The mystery is hidden only until discovered
Optimization3 vs 3
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Distraint 2
Light item puzzles with single answers
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Reconstructing event sequences is light deduction
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.