head to head
vs
A Plague Tale: RequiemvsYoung Merlin
A Plague Tale: Requiem leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery); Young Merlin leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
A Plague Tale: RequiemYoung Merlin
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 4
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 3
Young Merlin leans harder on variance: Wordless icon puzzles hide their logic until deciphered
Optimization5 vs 6
Young Merlin leans harder on optimization: Item-use puzzles and progression routing are the real game
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.