head to head
vs
GradiusvsMax Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Gradius leans Execution (Practiced Mastery); Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne leans Execution (Practiced Mastery).
GradiusMax Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Axis by axis
Execution8 vs 7
Gradius leans harder on execution: Dodging bullet and wall gauntlets after punishing death-resets
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance1 vs 1
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization6 vs 5
Gradius leans harder on optimization: Power-up routing and stage memorisation define survival
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.