Building comparison
head to head
The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimvsThe Settlers II: 10th Anniversary
The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary asks more than The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and the gap is reads.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Optimization · Pure Optimization
An open-world RPG mostly about discovering and stacking exploitable progression systems.
The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary
Optimization · Pure Optimization
Optimising road networks and production chains at a settler's pace.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimThe Settlers II: 10th Anniversary
Axis by axis
Execution3 vs 2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Combat is forgiving; aim and timing rarely punish you.
The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary
Slow road-laying needs no dexterity at all
Reads0 vs 2
The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary leans clearly harder on reads.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Enemy AI is scripted and exploitable; not adaptive.
The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary
AI opponents expand on predictable scripts
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Loot tables and leveled lists inject mild randomness.
The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary
Map resources are scripted-but-unknown until explored
Optimization7 vs 8
The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skill stacking, enchant loops, and exploits are deeply solvable.
The Settlers II: 10th Anniversary
Road networks and production chains are the entire game
A matching score does not mean a matching test. Two games can both sit at 10 on execution and demand completely different things of you - which is why the reasoning above matters more than the number beside it.