head to head
vs
Rusty Lake: RootsvsSpace Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers
Rusty Lake: Roots leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
Rusty Lake: RootsSpace Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 2
Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers leans harder on execution: A few chase and arcade sequences demand modest dexterity
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance4 vs 5
Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers leans harder on variance: Hidden death traps and unknown item uses until learned
Optimization8 vs 7
Rusty Lake: Roots leans harder on optimization: Cracking fixed item-and-clue chains drives every scene.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.