head to head
vs
Escape from Monkey IslandvsLamplight City
Escape from Monkey Island leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Lamplight City leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
Escape from Monkey IslandLamplight City
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 3
Lamplight City leans harder on variance: Whodunits are hidden information until evidence surfaces
Optimization6 vs 5
Escape from Monkey Island leans harder on optimization: Once known, every puzzle has one fixed answer
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.