Building comparison
head to head
Pokemon Ultra SunvsPortal
Neither is simply harder - they are hard in different places. Pokemon Ultra Sun demands more variance; Portal demands more execution.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The expanded Alola adventure with an altered story, Ultra Wormhole hunting, and Rainbow Rocket.
Portal
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The portal-gun puzzle game whose solutions are everything.
Pokemon Ultra Sun leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Portal leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Pokemon Ultra SunPortal
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 4
Portal leans clearly harder on execution.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Menu battles, zero dexterity
Portal
Portal placement timing modest.
Reads2 vs 0
Pokemon Ultra Sun leans clearly harder on reads.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Scripted bosses and trainers; PvP optional
Portal
No adversary modeling player.
Variance3 vs 0
Pokemon Ultra Sun leans clearly harder on variance.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Wormhole legendaries and encounter RNG
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.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Expanded Dex and tougher fights reward team planning
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.