head to head
vs
Nioh 3vsThe Evil Within 2
Nioh 3 leans Execution (Practiced Mastery); The Evil Within 2 leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Nioh 3The Evil Within 2
Axis by axis
Execution8 vs 6
Nioh 3 leans harder on execution: Stance switching, ki pulses and dodge windows demand expert hands
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance3 vs 3
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization8 vs 7
Nioh 3 leans harder on optimization: Build crafting and moveset study are as deep as the combat
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.