Building comparison
head to head
The Testament of Sherlock HolmesvsZak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is variance, and it is a single point.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
Optimization · Pure Optimization
Evidence-gathering and deduction-board logic with no physical or adversarial layer.
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Optimization · Systems & Chaos
A zany LucasArts adventure where a tabloid reporter foils aliens dumbing down humanity with a 60-Hz hum.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
The Testament of Sherlock HolmesZak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 0
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
Pointing and clicking through crime scenes
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Verb-and-click interface; nothing physical.
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
Suspects are written, not adapting
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Dumb aliens run on rails; no adaptation anywhere.
Variance3 vs 4
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
Clues are hidden information until uncovered
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Globe-trotting item requirements are obscure on first play.
Optimization7 vs 6
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
The deduction board is a solvable logic puzzle
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders
Multi-character inventory chains form one big solvable puzzle.
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.
full breakdown
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes →
full breakdown
Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders →
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