Deathloop Has Mixed Steam Reviews On Launch Day Despite Very Positive Feedback From Critics

Note: The details in this article were true to the best of my knowledge as of 14th September 2021. Scores and other information may change over time.

Deathloop has received consistently high review scores from gaming media outlets, but Steam users are not sharing the sentiment. As of 14th September, the reviews on the Steam page for the title are Mixed, with 60% leaving a positive review. Looking through the negative feedback from Steam users, the complaints are not so much stemming from the gameplay itself, but rather the technical issues that players are facing.

There are numerous negative reviews from players with little logged game time that are having technical issues, with stuttering being the most common complaint, even for those claiming to have high end rigs. Many are stating that the gameplay was actually quite enjoyable, but the experience was marred by said technical difficulties. Multiple users are blaming the game’s controversial DRM software, Denuvo, for causing the technical issues, with others unhappy that it’s been included at all.

Denuvo has been blamed for causing performance issues in previous titles. Interestingly, Arkane Studios included Denuvo in the Steam launch of Prey, but eventually dropped it due to negative feedback from players. Other titles have also ditched the software after receiving similar backlashes from players, including Doom Eternal in 2020. It seems a strange decision to risk including Denuvo again after it caused a negative response to a previous title release, and it appears to have had a similar impact on Deathloop’s Steam release.