head to head
vs
Sid Meier's Civilization IVvsTerraforming Mars
Sid Meier's Civilization IV leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Terraforming Mars leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Sid Meier's Civilization IVTerraforming Mars
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 0
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads2 vs 4
Terraforming Mars leans harder on reads: Opponents contest milestones, awards, and board placement
Variance4 vs 5
Terraforming Mars leans harder on variance: Project card draws shape what engines are available
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.