head to head
vs
A Tale in the DesertvsSimCity
A Tale in the Desert leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); SimCity leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
A Tale in the DesertSimCity
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 1
SimCity leans harder on execution: Pause-friendly building removes any physical test
Reads3 vs 1
A Tale in the Desert leans harder on reads: Player politics, laws and economy involve real negotiation
Variance1 vs 2
SimCity leans harder on variance: Disasters and agent simulation quirks add mild randomness
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.