head to head

Shadowrun Returns cover artvsThe Wild Eight cover art

Shadowrun ReturnsvsThe Wild Eight

Shadowrun Returns leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Wild Eight leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).

EXECUTION2 /10READS1 /10VARIANCE4 /10OPTIMIZATION7 /10
Shadowrun ReturnsThe Wild Eight

Axis by axis

Execution2 vs 2

Even - both lean on execution about the same.

Reads1 vs 0

Shadowrun Returns leans harder on reads: Enemy IC and guards run scripted patrol and aggro routines

Variance4 vs 5

The Wild Eight leans harder on variance: Procedural frozen map and random events per run

Optimization7 vs 7

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.

full breakdown

Shadowrun Returns

full breakdown

The Wild Eight