head to head
vs
Metal Slug 5vsTempest 4000
Metal Slug 5 leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Tempest 4000 leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Metal Slug 5Tempest 4000
Axis by axis
Execution9 vs 9
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 3
Tempest 4000 leans harder on variance: Enemy spawn patterns add measured chaos
Optimization3 vs 4
Tempest 4000 leans harder on optimization: Power-up timing and lane prioritization optimize score
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.