head to head
vs
A New Beginning: Final CutvsThe Neverhood
A New Beginning: Final Cut leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Neverhood leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
A New Beginning: Final CutThe Neverhood
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 1
A New Beginning: Final Cut leans harder on variance: Story beats are unknown only the first time through
Optimization5 vs 4
A New Beginning: Final Cut leans harder on optimization: Inventory and dialogue puzzles have single fixed solutions
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.