Building comparison
head to head
Dungeons 3vsPortal
Neither is simply harder - they are hard in different places. Dungeons 3 demands more variance; Portal demands more execution.
Dungeons 3
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A dungeon-management strategy game where you build lairs and crush invading heroes.
Portal
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The portal-gun puzzle game whose solutions are everything.
Dungeons 3 leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Portal leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Dungeons 3Portal
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 4
Portal leans clearly harder on execution.
Dungeons 3
minimal direct control, mostly management
Portal
Portal placement timing modest.
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Dungeons 3
scripted hero AI, not adaptive
Portal
No adversary modeling player.
Variance2 vs 0
Dungeons 3 leans clearly harder on variance.
Dungeons 3
some random dungeon events
Portal
Deterministic chambers; no randomness.
Optimization8 vs 8
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Dungeons 3
base-building economy and unit optimization
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.