head to head
vs
Comix ZonevsNex Machina
Comix Zone leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Nex Machina leans Execution (Practiced Mastery).
Comix ZoneNex Machina
Axis by axis
Execution8 vs 8
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance1 vs 2
Nex Machina leans harder on variance: Enemy arrangement has minor randomisation between waves
Optimization5 vs 6
Nex Machina leans harder on optimization: Human rescue routing and weapon pick sequencing reward study
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.