head to head
vs
Return of the TentaclevsSam & Max: Hit the Road
Return of the Tentacle leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Sam & Max: Hit the Road leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Return of the TentacleSam & Max: Hit the Road
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance3 vs 2
Return of the Tentacle leans harder on variance: Solutions are scripted-but-unknown until discovered
Optimization7 vs 8
Sam & Max: Hit the Road leans harder on optimization: Absurdist puzzle chains are fully solvable with lateral thinking
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.