head to head

Beneath a Steel Sky cover artvsZork cover art

Beneath a Steel SkyvsZork

Beneath a Steel Sky leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Zork leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).

EXECUTION0 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE2 /10OPTIMIZATION6 /10
Beneath a Steel SkyZork

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 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.

full breakdown

Beneath a Steel Sky

full breakdown

Zork