head to head
vs
Papers, PleasevsRune Factory: Tides of Destiny
Papers, Please leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Papers, PleaseRune Factory: Tides of Destiny
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 4
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 1
Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny leans harder on reads: Monsters are scripted, never adapting to you
Variance4 vs 3
Papers, Please leans harder on variance: Random entrant documents and scripted-event surprises
Optimization7 vs 7
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.