head to head
vs
EarthBoundvsThe Forgotten City
EarthBound leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Forgotten City leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
EarthBoundThe Forgotten City
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 3
EarthBound leans harder on variance: PSI randomness, enemy attack variety, and encounter triggers add unpredictability
Optimization7 vs 8
The Forgotten City leans harder on optimization: Identifying the correct non-violent resolution path for each citizen is a solvable deduction
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.