head to head
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is variance, and it is a single point.

Optimization · Pure Optimization
The trilogy finale trades puzzle complexity for narrative resolution, testing observation over deduction.

Optimization · Pure Optimization
A fixed-solution puzzle adventure where finding the right inventory combination unlocks every obstacle.
Goodbye Deponia leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Secret of Monkey Island leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Goodbye Deponia
No physical demands on the player
The Secret of Monkey Island
Clicking inventory items demands no twitch skill whatsoever
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Goodbye Deponia
Scripted finale with no adaptive opponent
The Secret of Monkey Island
No adaptive opponent; all puzzles are fixed and authored
The Secret of Monkey Island leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Goodbye Deponia
Fixed narrative outcome with deterministic puzzles
The Secret of Monkey Island
Some hidden items require exploration but solutions are invariant
The Secret of Monkey Island leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Goodbye Deponia
Closure-focused design eases puzzle density compared to predecessors
The Secret of Monkey Island
Correct item combinations and dialogue chains fully determine progress
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.