head to head
vs
7 Days to DievsShining Soul II
7 Days to Die leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Shining Soul II leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
7 Days to DieShining Soul II
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 5
Shining Soul II leans harder on execution: Real-time hack-and-slash demands timing and dodging
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance4 vs 4
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization7 vs 6
7 Days to Die leans harder on optimization: Base design and horde-night kill funnels dominate.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.