head to head
vs
Fears to Fathom: Ironbark LookoutvsThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Fears to Fathom: Ironbark Lookout leans Variance (Light / Casual); The Vanishing of Ethan Carter leans Optimization (Light / Casual).
Fears to Fathom: Ironbark LookoutThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter
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.
Variance3 vs 2
Fears to Fathom: Ironbark Lookout leans harder on variance: First-playthrough dread comes from not knowing the script
Optimization2 vs 3
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter leans harder on optimization: Reconstructing event sequences is light 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.