head to head
vs
Clock Tower 3vsSteamWorld Dig
Clock Tower 3 leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); SteamWorld Dig leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Clock Tower 3SteamWorld Dig
Axis by axis
Execution3 vs 4
SteamWorld Dig leans harder on execution: Digging and platforming need modest precision
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance5 vs 4
Clock Tower 3 leans harder on variance: Stalker ambush points are unknown information until experienced
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.