head to head
vs
Papers, PleasevsScooby-Doo Mystery
Papers, Please leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Scooby-Doo Mystery leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Papers, PleaseScooby-Doo Mystery
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 3
Papers, Please leans harder on execution: Document-checking speed directly pays the rent
Reads0 vs 1
Scooby-Doo Mystery leans harder on reads: Culprits are scripted, no adaptation
Variance4 vs 3
Papers, Please leans harder on variance: Random entrant documents and scripted-event surprises
Optimization7 vs 6
Papers, Please leans harder on optimization: Internalizing rulebooks and inspection workflow efficiency
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.