head to head
vs
Crush the CastlevsGothic II
Crush the Castle leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Gothic II leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Crush the CastleGothic II
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 4
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 3
Gothic II leans harder on variance: First-run surprises until the island is mapped
Optimization7 vs 8
Gothic II leans harder on optimization: Strict learning-point economy rewards ruthless planning
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.