head to head
vs
The Curse of Monkey IslandvsThe Next Big Thing
The Curse of Monkey Island leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Next Big Thing leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
The Curse of Monkey IslandThe Next Big Thing
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 0
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance3 vs 2
The Curse of Monkey Island leans harder on variance: puzzle solutions unknown on first play, then fixed
Optimization7 vs 6
The Curse of Monkey Island leans harder on optimization: inventory logic puzzles 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.