head to head
vs
StarboundvsThe Wild Eight
Starbound leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Wild Eight leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
StarboundThe Wild Eight
Axis by axis
Execution3 vs 2
Starbound leans harder on execution: Light platforming and combat, generous margins
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
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.