head to head
vs
Nobody Wants to DievsThe Longing
Nobody Wants to Die leans Optimization (Light / Casual); The Longing leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
Nobody Wants to DieThe Longing
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 0
Nobody Wants to Die leans harder on execution: Guided investigation scenes need no dexterity
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 2
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization3 vs 4
The Longing leans harder on optimization: Knowing the cave's secrets shortcuts the 400-day wait
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.