Building comparison
head to head
Ever 17: The Out of InfinityvsThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity
Variance · Light / Casual
A sci-fi mystery visual novel where survivors trapped in an underwater park unravel a layered truth.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Optimization · Light / Casual
A gorgeous first-person mystery about piecing together a boy's disappearance.
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity leans Variance (Light / Casual); The Vanishing of Ethan Carter leans Optimization (Light / Casual).
Ever 17: The Out of InfinityThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 1
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity
Reading only, no inputs of skill
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.
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity
No adaptive opposition
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
No opponent
Variance3 vs 2
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity
Hidden narrative truth and locked routes drive first-run mystery
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.
Ever 17: The Out of Infinity
Flag and route ordering to unlock the true ending
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.