head to head
vs
Outer WildsvsThe Witness
Outer Wilds leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Witness leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Outer WildsThe Witness
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 0
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 10
The Witness leans harder on optimization: Decoding the rule systems IS the whole game.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.