head to head
vs
Mystery Case Files: 13th SkullvsSam & Max: Hit the Road
Mystery Case Files: 13th Skull leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Sam & Max: Hit the Road leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Mystery Case Files: 13th SkullSam & Max: Hit the Road
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads1 vs 0
Mystery Case Files: 13th Skull leans harder on reads: No adaptive opponent, puzzles are fixed
Variance2 vs 2
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization7 vs 8
Sam & Max: Hit the Road leans harder on optimization: Absurdist puzzle chains are fully solvable with lateral thinking
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.