head to head
vs
Outer WildsvsThe Talos Principle
Outer Wilds leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Talos Principle leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Outer WildsThe Talos Principle
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 1
Outer Wilds leans harder on execution: Light piloting, mostly forgiving
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance1 vs 0
Outer Wilds leans harder on variance: Loop is deterministic once understood
Optimization9 vs 9
Even - both lean on optimization about the same.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.