head to head

Empire: Total War cover artvsMU Online cover art

Empire: Total WarvsMU Online

Empire: Total War leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); MU Online leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).

EXECUTION2 /10READS3 /10VARIANCE3 /10OPTIMIZATION8 /10
Empire: Total WarMU Online

Axis by axis

Execution2 vs 2

Even - both lean on execution about the same.

Reads3 vs 2

Empire: Total War leans harder on reads: Multiplayer line-battle feints exist

Variance3 vs 4

MU Online leans harder on variance: Item drops and upgrade gambling drive the chase.

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.

full breakdown

Empire: Total War

full breakdown

MU Online