head to head
vs
Bad RatsvsThe Cave
Bad Rats leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); The Cave leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Bad RatsThe Cave
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 2
The Cave leans harder on execution: Undemanding platforming with no timing pressure
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance4 vs 2
Bad Rats leans harder on variance: Notoriously janky physics makes identical setups behave differently
Optimization6 vs 6
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.