head to head
vs
StarboundvsTorchlight III
Starbound leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Torchlight III leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos).
StarboundTorchlight III
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
Torchlight III leans harder on variance: Loot and map randomness standard for genre
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.