head to head
vs
Beneath a Steel SkyvsSam & Max: Beyond Time and Space
Beneath a Steel Sky leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Beneath a Steel SkySam & Max: Beyond Time and Space
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 0
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 1
Beneath a Steel Sky leans harder on variance: First-run puzzle surprises only
Optimization6 vs 5
Beneath a Steel Sky leans harder on optimization: Inventory puzzle chains are fully solvable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.