Building comparison
head to head
Portal 2vsThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition
Neither is simply harder - they are hard in different places. Portal 2 demands more optimization; The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition demands more variance.
Portal 2
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A first-person puzzle game where seeing the solution is the whole skill.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition
Optimization · Pure Optimization
An open world where build optimisation dissolves every combat challenge.
Portal 2 leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Portal 2The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition
Axis by axis
Execution3 vs 4
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Portal 2
Portal placement requires some precision but timing is lenient.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition
Combat timing matters little; difficulty bends to your build
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.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition
Draugr and dragons run scripted AI packages
Variance0 vs 2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition leans clearly harder on variance.
Portal 2
Puzzles are deterministic with no randomness.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition
Loot rolls and radiant quests add minor mapped randomness
Optimization9 vs 7
Portal 2 leans clearly harder on optimization.
Portal 2
Solving the puzzle's logic IS the entire game.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition
Perk, crafting and stealth-archer loops trivially solve combat
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.