Building comparison
head to head
RezvsTetris Effect
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Rez
Execution · Pure Mechanics
A synesthetic on-rails shooter where lock-on fire becomes part of the trance soundtrack.
Tetris Effect
Execution · Pure Mechanics
Classic Tetris execution under audiovisual flow, speed still decides everything.
Rez leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Tetris Effect leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
RezTetris Effect
Axis by axis
Execution7 vs 8
Tetris Effect leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Rez
Lock-on targeting in time with the beat tests aim and rhythm
Tetris Effect
Piece placement under speed and Zone timing is the whole test
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Rez
Enemy waves are entirely scripted
Tetris Effect
Solo experience with no opponent to model
Variance1 vs 2
Tetris Effect leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Rez
Fixed rail paths; nothing is hidden after one run
Tetris Effect
Randomised bag is bounded and quickly mappable
Optimization4 vs 4
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Rez
Score chains and route choices reward memorized play
Tetris Effect
Stacking theory and Zone usage have known optimal lines
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.