The long-awaited launch ofDeathloophas finally arrived, and many gamers think it has been well worth the wait. Some fans had been worried about the release ofDeathloopgiven the hype that had been built following months of build-up and many gameplay trailers. From its trailers,Deathlooplooked great, but it faced a challenge in meeting gamer’s lofty expectations. Fortunately,Deathloopis now available, and for the most part, its reviews are very positive.
Deathloop’spositive reception upon launch is a relief for many, following the release of games likeCyberpunk 2077, which failed to live up to its pre-launch hype. But for some, the launch ofDeathloophasn’t been quite as enjoyable as the overwhelmingly positive review scores have made out. Particularly on PC, the launch ofDeathloophas been met with review bombing, that have left the game with a less than stellar review score on Steam. Despite widespread praise forDeathloop, many PC gamers have felt disillusioned by their experience of the game.
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Deathloop’s Review Scores and Good First Impressions
The launch ofDeathloophas been met with plenty of praise from gamers. While it’s still early days,Deathloophas already been touted as a game of the year contender from many. The PlayStation console exclusive has been lauded for its unique premise and action-packed gameplay. Previous Arkane Studios titles have also been compared toDeathloop’srelease, with fans seeing manysimilarities betweenDeathloopandDishonored. In most places, the reviews ofDeathloopare overwhelmingly positive and paint a picture of a game most fans would have hopedDeathloopwould be. However, on PC it seems fans are struggling with the game’s performance.
There’s now a disparity between mainstream review scores, which paint avery positive picture ofDeathloop, and the experiences of PC gamers who’ve tried out the game. In the days sinceDeathloop’srelease, the complaints of PC gamers have gained more traction, as fans continue to notice performance issues with the game. While PC gamers in most cases don’t question the quality of the game, their experience of it is harmed by apparent DRM-related performance problems. Many gamers are concerned aboutDeathloop’suse of Denuvo DRM, which has been no stranger to controversy in the past.
Deathloop’s DRM Issues
DRM is an important feature to prevent the piracy of games, however, over the years it has time and again stood at odds with the gaming community. Denuvo in particular has been on the receiving end of criticism in the past, as gamers believe that theDRM causes performance issues. Perceived performance issues include stuttering, frame drops, and longer load times, although the jury is still out on the degree to which Denuvo impacts performance. Those who’ve tested and made comparisons to Denuvo’s performance impact in games have often yielded mixed results.
Regardless, much of gamer’s frustration stems from the fact that their experience of the game can be negatively impacted at all by the software, and as such, review bombs of titles that use the software are common.Deathloopis no exception, as its use of Denuvo on top of PC performance issues has stirred up controversy among fans.
While reviews forDeathloopare excellent elsewhere, on Steam, the score is mixed, with a common trend appearing in the reviews. There are 5,280 reviews on Steam forDeathloop, 1677 of which are negative, with just 68% being positive. Many reviews mention performance issues, which some have attributed to the game’s use of Denuvo DRM.
A common theme in the Steam reviews is that despite the poor performance, the game is a lot of fun, which may have left a sour taste in the mouth for gamers struggling to get the game running smoothly.Dishonored 2is another Arkane Studios title that used Denuvo DRM at launch, and likeDeathloop, fans reported numerous performance issues. In the case ofDishonored 2, Denuvo was removed two years after launch, soPC gamers unable to runDeathloopat current may want to hold off for the time being if Denuvo’s impact on performance is a concern at all.
Deathloopis now available on PC and PS5.
