Building comparison
head to head
Murder by NumbersvsProfessor Layton and the Curious Village
Neither is harder. They score identically on all four axes, so the difference between them is in kind, not degree.
Murder by Numbers
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A visual-novel mystery where every clue is uncovered by solving picross puzzles.
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Optimization · Pure Optimization
Gentleman puzzler solves a village full of standalone brainteasers.
Murder by Numbers leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Professor Layton and the Curious Village leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Murder by NumbersProfessor Layton and the Curious Village
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Murder by Numbers
Filling grids unhurried; no dexterity ceiling.
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Stylus taps only; no dexterity pressure at all
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Murder by Numbers
Suspects are scripted; mystery never adapts.
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
No opponent, adaptive or otherwise
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Murder by Numbers
Whodunit unknown on first pass; picross grids are deterministic.
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Puzzle answers are hidden until reasoned out, then fixed
Optimization8 vs 8
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Murder by Numbers
Nonogram deduction is the literal core loop.
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Every brainteaser has one clean solvable answer
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.