Building comparison
head to head
QuellvsReturn of the Obra Dinn
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Quell
Optimization · Pure Optimization
Zen sliding-droplet puzzler about clearing pearls in the fewest moves.
Return of the Obra Dinn
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A pure deduction puzzle with a single solvable answer set.
Quell leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Return of the Obra Dinn leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
QuellReturn of the Obra Dinn
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 0
Quell leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Quell
Swipes only; no timing pressure
Return of the Obra Dinn
No mechanical execution required
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Quell
No opponent exists
Return of the Obra Dinn
Static scenes, no opponent
Variance0 vs 0
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Quell
Fully deterministic boards
Return of the Obra Dinn
Fully deterministic puzzle
Optimization9 vs 10
Return of the Obra Dinn leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Quell
Minimum-move sliding solutions are pure logic
Return of the Obra Dinn
Pure deductive logic on a fixed manifest
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.