Building comparison
head to head
Portal 2vsStarbound
Neither is simply harder - they are hard in different places. Portal 2 demands more optimization; Starbound demands more variance.
Portal 2
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A first-person puzzle game where seeing the solution is the whole skill.
Starbound
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A 2D sandbox of procedurally generated planets driven by crafting progression.
Portal 2 leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Starbound leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Portal 2Starbound
Axis by axis
Execution3 vs 3
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Portal 2
Portal placement requires some precision but timing is lenient.
Starbound
Light platforming and combat, generous margins
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Portal 2
No opponent; puzzles are static.
Starbound
Procedural NPCs follow simple fixed behaviours
Variance0 vs 4
Starbound leans clearly harder on variance.
Portal 2
Puzzles are deterministic with no randomness.
Starbound
Procedural planets and loot keep early exploration unknown
Optimization9 vs 7
Portal 2 leans clearly harder on optimization.
Portal 2
Solving the puzzle's logic IS the entire game.
Starbound
Gear tiers, farming, and progression routes dominate
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.