head to head
vs
ArcheAgevsTotal War: Rome II
ArcheAge leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Total War: Rome II leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
ArcheAgeTotal War: Rome II
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 5
Total War: Rome II leans harder on execution: Cohort line management and flanking cavalry demand real-time micro
Reads4 vs 3
ArcheAge leans harder on reads: Open-sea piracy and sieges pit adapting players against you
Variance2 vs 4
Total War: Rome II leans harder on variance: Random political events and dynastic loyalty shifts add campaign variance
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.