head to head
vs
Cat Goes FishingvsDark Cloud
Cat Goes Fishing leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Dark Cloud leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Cat Goes FishingDark Cloud
Axis by axis
Execution3 vs 4
Dark Cloud leans harder on execution: real-time dungeon combat with weapon timing
Reads1 vs 0
Cat Goes Fishing leans harder on reads: Solo; fish behaviors are scripted, not adaptive
Variance4 vs 4
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization7 vs 7
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.