Building comparison
head to head
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the MythvsTorchlight
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is variance, and it is a single point.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A dungeon-crawler RPG testing party building, skill optimization and careful mapping.
Torchlight
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A breezy dungeon-crawling loot game about builds and ever-better randomized gear.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Torchlight leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the MythTorchlight
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 2
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
Turn-based combat needs no twitch
Torchlight
Click-to-kill combat with minimal mechanical demand
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
Torchlight
Solo dungeon crawl, no adaptive opposition
Variance4 vs 5
Torchlight leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth
Random encounters and FOE patterns partly unknown
Torchlight
Randomized loot and dungeon layouts gate power
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
Torchlight
Build paths and gear stats are the real game
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.