Building comparison
head to head
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the MythvsPortal
Neither is simply harder - they are hard in different places. Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth demands more variance; Portal demands more execution.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A dungeon-crawler RPG testing party building, skill optimization and careful mapping.
Portal
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The portal-gun puzzle game whose solutions are everything.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Portal leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the MythPortal
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 4
Portal leans clearly harder on execution.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
Turn-based combat needs no twitch
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.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
Enemies scripted, no adaptive opponent
Portal
No adversary modeling player.
Variance4 vs 0
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth leans clearly harder on variance.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
Random encounters and FOE patterns partly unknown
Portal
Deterministic chambers; no randomness.
Optimization9 vs 8
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
Class building, skill trees, and mapping drive everything
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.