I think this is generally correct as I understand it. That's why Valvoline is using words like "breakthrough" and "revolutionary." Their lead engineer worked at Infineum for 16 years. He said he's never seen anything like it.
Per the Valvoline patent, and formulation, Valvoline Premium Blue Restore was a 50% group V based product. It apparently takes a large % of AN and ester to clean piston deposits. AN's in lower doses won't clean but will run clean. High ester blends will run clean and clean up sludge/varnish, but removing piston deposits is no easy task, even for oils that are heavily ester based. Sludge and varnish, yes, piston deposits unlikely, unless you design the oil to be like Valvoline Premium Blue Restore.
My guess is HPL and Amsoil SS could maybe dissolve some piston deposits over time. To what extent I don't know because there has never been any actual testing done to prove it like Valvoline did using tear downs based on a modified IIIH test.