head to head
vs
Darkest DungeonvsFear & Hunger
Darkest Dungeon leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); Fear & Hunger leans Variance (Systems & Chaos).
Darkest DungeonFear & Hunger
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 1
Fear & Hunger leans harder on execution: Turn-based menus, no physical ceiling
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance7 vs 8
Fear & Hunger leans harder on variance: Coin flips and hidden rules decide lives blind
Optimization8 vs 8
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.