head to head
vs
Civilization VIIvsIcewind Dale II
Civilization VII leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Icewind Dale II leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Civilization VIIIcewind Dale II
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 2
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads2 vs 1
Civilization VII leans harder on reads: AI scripted per leader personality, not learning your habits
Variance5 vs 4
Civilization VII leans harder on variance: Age transitions and hidden resources introduce genuine unknowns
Optimization9 vs 9
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.