head to head
vs
Horizon Zero DawnvsWay of the Samurai 3
Horizon Zero Dawn leans Execution (Practiced Mastery); Way of the Samurai 3 leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Horizon Zero DawnWay of the Samurai 3
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 5
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 3
Way of the Samurai 3 leans harder on variance: Branching events hidden until discovered across playthroughs
Optimization5 vs 6
Way of the Samurai 3 leans harder on optimization: Mapping story branches and forging swords rewards system knowledge
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.