head to head
vs
Grounded 2vsMiddle-earth: Shadow of War
Grounded 2 leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery); Middle-earth: Shadow of War leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Grounded 2Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 5
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 1
Middle-earth: Shadow of War leans harder on reads: Nemesis system mimics adaptation but follows knowable rules
Variance3 vs 4
Middle-earth: Shadow of War leans harder on variance: Random orc traits, betrayals, and fortress compositions
Optimization7 vs 7
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.