head to head
vs
Puzzle Quest 2vsX-COM: UFO Defense
Puzzle Quest 2 leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); X-COM: UFO Defense leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
Puzzle Quest 2X-COM: UFO Defense
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads1 vs 0
Puzzle Quest 2 leans harder on reads: AI opponents follow greedy heuristics; rare human matches add little
Variance6 vs 6
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization7 vs 8
X-COM: UFO Defense leans harder on optimization: Base economy, research order, and tactical doctrine are masterable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.