head to head
vs
EarthBoundvsThe Crooked Man
EarthBound leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Crooked Man leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
EarthBoundThe Crooked Man
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 2
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance4 vs 4
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization7 vs 6
EarthBound leans harder on optimization: Status effects, rolling HP strategy, and Franklin Badge usage are 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.