Building comparison
head to head
Salt and SanctuaryvsSteamWorld Dig 2
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Salt and Sanctuary
Optimization · Practiced Mastery
A 2D Souls-like with metroidvania exploration.
SteamWorld Dig 2
Optimization · Practiced Mastery
A mining metroidvania about digging efficient tunnels, hauling ore, and compounding upgrades.
Salt and Sanctuary leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery); SteamWorld Dig 2 leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Salt and SanctuarySteamWorld Dig 2
Axis by axis
Execution6 vs 5
Salt and Sanctuary leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Salt and Sanctuary
Souls-like timing in 2D
SteamWorld Dig 2
Light platforming and digging dexterity
Reads2 vs 1
Salt and Sanctuary leans a little harder on reads, though the gap is small.
Salt and Sanctuary
Scripted bosses with telegraphs
SteamWorld Dig 2
Scripted enemies only
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Salt and Sanctuary
Loot drops
SteamWorld Dig 2
Procedural ore pockets add mild run-to-run unknowns
Optimization7 vs 7
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Salt and Sanctuary
Skill tree builds and gear routing
SteamWorld Dig 2
Dig routing, resource economy, and upgrade ordering are the game
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.