head to head
vs
9 KingsvsDarkest Dungeon
9 Kings leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); Darkest Dungeon leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
9 KingsDarkest Dungeon
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 0
9 Kings leans harder on execution: Placing cards between auto-battles needs no dexterity
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance6 vs 7
Darkest Dungeon leans harder on variance: crits, stress events, and dungeon rolls punish plans
Optimization8 vs 8
Even - both lean on optimization about the same.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.