head to head

Paper Trail cover artvsThe Sims cover art

Paper TrailvsThe Sims

Paper Trail leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Sims leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).

EXECUTION1 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE1 /10OPTIMIZATION6 /10
Paper TrailThe Sims

Axis by axis

Execution1 vs 1

Even - both lean on execution about the same.

Reads0 vs 0

Even - both lean on reads about the same.

Variance1 vs 2

The Sims leans harder on variance: Event rolls add flavour, all quickly mapped

Optimization6 vs 6

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.

full breakdown

Paper Trail

full breakdown

The Sims