head to head
vs
Borderlands 2vsThe First Descendant
Borderlands 2 leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); The First Descendant leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Borderlands 2The First Descendant
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 6
The First Descendant leans harder on execution: Colossus boss fights and intercept missions require dodge timing and aim
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance6 vs 6
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization8 vs 8
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.