head to head
vs
Borderlands 2vsPath of Exile 2
Borderlands 2 leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); Path of Exile 2 leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Borderlands 2Path of Exile 2
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 6
Path of Exile 2 leans harder on execution: Slower, more deliberate combat raises the mechanical precision demand
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance6 vs 6
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization8 vs 9
Path of Exile 2 leans harder on optimization: Build theory and passive tree navigation reward deep system knowledge
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.