head to head
vs
Dark Messiah of Might and MagicvsWay of the Samurai 2
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic leans Execution (Practiced Mastery); Way of the Samurai 2 leans Execution (Practiced Mastery).
Dark Messiah of Might and MagicWay of the Samurai 2
Axis by axis
Execution7 vs 6
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic leans harder on execution: first-person melee, kicks, and physics timing
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance1 vs 2
Way of the Samurai 2 leans harder on variance: Branching events are hidden until a first playthrough
Optimization5 vs 5
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.