head to head
vs
Stardew ValleyvsTropico
Stardew Valley leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Tropico leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Stardew ValleyTropico
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 0
Stardew Valley leans harder on execution: Trivial timing on fishing and combat
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance3 vs 3
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization8 vs 9
Tropico leans harder on optimization: Economy chains and faction appeasement are fully solvable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.