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

Optimization · Practiced Mastery
Learning fixed boss patterns and managing survival systems through a linear jungle infiltration.

Optimization · Practiced Mastery
Choosing between three distinct playstyle routes through consistent guard layouts for optimal SMI scores.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery); Splinter Cell: Blacklist leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
CQC execution, camouflage switching speed, and boss timing are demanding
Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Mark-and-execute and fast takedowns raise the physical ceiling
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
The Cobra unit fights with scripted abilities; no real-time player profiling
Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Enemies react on scripted alert logic, not player-specific profiling
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Camouflage index and food supply introduce hidden-state management
Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Patrol density and item placement are consistent across runs
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Camo pattern matching and boss moveset mastery are fully learnable
Splinter Cell: Blacklist
SMI scoring system incentivises optimal ghost, panther, or assault routing
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.