head to head
vs
Anno 1503vsPillars of Eternity
Anno 1503 leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Pillars of Eternity leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Anno 1503Pillars of Eternity
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 2
Pillars of Eternity leans harder on execution: Real-time-with-pause removes all twitch pressure from the player
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance3 vs 4
Pillars of Eternity leans harder on variance: Hidden enemy immunities and ability distributions require investigation
Optimization9 vs 9
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.