Building comparison
head to head
Neighbours from Hell 2: On VacationvsPortal
Neither is simply harder - they are hard in different places. Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation demands more variance; Portal demands more optimization.
Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A prank-based puzzle game about sequencing traps against a scripted neighbor.
Portal
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The portal-gun puzzle game whose solutions are everything.
Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Portal leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Neighbours from Hell 2: On VacationPortal
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 4
Portal leans clearly harder on execution.
Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation
light timing on trap execution
Portal
Portal placement timing modest.
Reads1 vs 0
Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation leans a little harder on reads, though the gap is small.
Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation
neighbor follows scripted routine, not adaptive
Portal
No adversary modeling player.
Variance2 vs 0
Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation leans clearly harder on variance.
Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation
some randomness in reaction timing
Portal
Deterministic chambers; no randomness.
Optimization5 vs 8
Portal leans clearly harder on optimization.
Neighbours from Hell 2: On Vacation
puzzle-solving trap sequences per room
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.