head to head
vs
Dark CloudvsStarbound
Dark Cloud leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Starbound leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Dark CloudStarbound
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 3
Dark Cloud leans harder on execution: real-time dungeon combat with weapon timing
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
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.