head to head
vs
Backpack HerovsX-COM: UFO Defense
Backpack Hero leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); X-COM: UFO Defense leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
Backpack HeroX-COM: UFO Defense
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance6 vs 6
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization9 vs 8
Backpack Hero leans harder on optimization: Spatial item placement is a literal packing puzzle.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.