head to head
vs
Half-LifevsThe Suffering
Half-Life leans Execution (Practiced Mastery); The Suffering leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Half-LifeThe Suffering
Axis by axis
Execution6 vs 5
Half-Life leans harder on execution: Combat aim and infamous platforming sections
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 3
The Suffering leans harder on variance: Unknown spawns and morality outcomes on a blind run
Optimization6 vs 6
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.