head to head

Papers, Please cover artvsRisk of Rain 2 cover art

Papers, PleasevsRisk of Rain 2

Papers, Please leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Risk of Rain 2 leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).

EXECUTION4 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE4 /10OPTIMIZATION7 /10
Papers, PleaseRisk of Rain 2

Axis by axis

Execution4 vs 5

Risk of Rain 2 leans harder on execution: Aim and movement matter under escalating swarm pressure.

Reads0 vs 0

Even - both lean on reads about the same.

Variance4 vs 5

Risk of Rain 2 leans harder on variance: Item drops and stage selection randomized each run.

Optimization7 vs 9

Risk of Rain 2 leans harder on optimization: Item stacking and scaling routes dominate run outcomes.

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

Papers, Please

full breakdown

Risk of Rain 2