head to head
vs
Death StrandingvsYomawari: Midnight Shadows
Death Stranding leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Yomawari: Midnight Shadows leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
Death StrandingYomawari: Midnight Shadows
Axis by axis
Execution3 vs 3
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance3 vs 4
Yomawari: Midnight Shadows leans harder on variance: Unknown spirit placements and triggers terrorise first playthroughs
Optimization7 vs 6
Death Stranding leans harder on optimization: Cargo loadouts, routes, structures highly solvable.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.