head to head
vs
Arx FatalisvsMiddle-earth: Shadow of War
Arx Fatalis leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Middle-earth: Shadow of War leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Arx FatalisMiddle-earth: Shadow of War
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 5
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance3 vs 4
Middle-earth: Shadow of War leans harder on variance: Random orc traits, betrayals, and fortress compositions
Optimization8 vs 7
Arx Fatalis leans harder on optimization: Spell combination discovery and skill-point allocation are deeply optimisable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.