Building comparison
head to head
Pokémon RedvsPortal
Neither is simply harder - they are hard in different places. Pokémon Red demands more variance; Portal demands more execution.
Pokémon Red
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The original monster-collecting RPG that built the catch-train-battle loop.
Portal
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The portal-gun puzzle game whose solutions are everything.
Pokémon Red leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Portal leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Pokémon RedPortal
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 4
Portal leans clearly harder on execution.
Pokémon Red
Turn-based menus
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.
Pokémon Red
Trainer AI is rudimentary and fixed
Portal
No adversary modeling player.
Variance2 vs 0
Pokémon Red leans clearly harder on variance.
Pokémon Red
Wild encounters and catch rolls
Portal
Deterministic chambers; no randomness.
Optimization8 vs 8
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Pokémon Red
Type matchups and team building solve the campaign
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.