head to head
vs
Pillars of EternityvsWizardry 8
Pillars of Eternity leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Wizardry 8 leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Pillars of EternityWizardry 8
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 2
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance4 vs 5
Wizardry 8 leans harder on variance: Random item drops and wandering monster encounters create hidden-information unknowns
Optimization9 vs 9
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.