head to head
Neither is harder. They score identically on all four axes, so the difference between them is in kind, not degree.

Optimization · Pure Optimization
Open-world Pokémon where you tackle gyms and titans in any order.

Optimization · Pure Optimization
An alchemy sim where mapping the potion-crafting system is the entire game.
Pokémon Scarlet leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Potion Craft leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Pokémon Scarlet
Open-world traversal, battles stay menu-based
Potion Craft
no reflex skill, mostly menu-based crafting
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Pokémon Scarlet
NPC trainers never adapt
Potion Craft
customers aren't adaptive opponents
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Pokémon Scarlet
Open-world spawns and tera raids
Potion Craft
ingredient rolls add some unpredictability
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Pokémon Scarlet
Terastallize typing adds a planning layer
Potion Craft
potion-map navigation is a solvable system
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.