head to head

Frontier: Elite II cover artvsPapers, Please cover art

Frontier: Elite IIvsPapers, Please

Frontier: Elite II leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Papers, Please leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).

EXECUTION4 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE4 /10OPTIMIZATION8 /10
Frontier: Elite IIPapers, Please

Axis by axis

Execution4 vs 4

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.

Optimization8 vs 7

Frontier: Elite II leans harder on optimization: Trade routes, missions, and ship upgrades form the solvable core

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

Frontier: Elite II

full breakdown

Papers, Please