Building comparison
head to head
Loop HerovsPortal
Neither is simply harder - they are hard in different places. Loop Hero demands more variance; Portal demands more execution.
Loop Hero
Optimization · Pure Optimization
An auto-battling deckbuilder about building a loop to defeat the Lich.
Portal
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The portal-gun puzzle game whose solutions are everything.
Loop Hero leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Portal leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Loop HeroPortal
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 4
Portal leans clearly harder on execution.
Loop Hero
Autobattler, almost no inputs.
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.
Loop Hero
Enemies follow scripts.
Portal
No adversary modeling player.
Variance5 vs 0
Loop Hero leans clearly harder on variance.
Loop Hero
Card draws and loot drops randomize.
Portal
Deterministic chambers; no randomness.
Optimization9 vs 8
Loop Hero leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Loop Hero
Deck and tile placement reward deep 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.