Shadow of the Tomb Raider review bombed because of 34% discount

Andy called Shadow of the Tomb Raider "one of Lara Croft's best modern adventures" in his review last month and, up until this week, fans seemed to generally agree, giving it mostly positive reviews on Steam. But then it was review bombed, with most disgruntled fans citing a 34% week-long sale, which ends tomorrow, as the reason for criticism.

From reading some of the 600+ reviews since the sale went live (66% of those reviews are negative), the main line of reasoning is that it's unfair to have paid full price for the game, either as a pre-order or at launch, only to see it heavily discounted so soon after. 

Most don't seem concerned about whether the game is any good or not, and many don't even comment on it. "Feel like a fool to have pre-ordered," one simply says. Another negative review reads: "Game is good btw...but never pre-ordering a Square Enix game ever again." 

While I can understand the frustration, I wouldn't have it any other way—the fact that games go on sale so quickly, and regularly, is one of the things I like best about PC gaming. It's yet another reason why you should be cautious about pre-ordering anything. 

There is, of course, some legitimate criticism to be found in the reviews, with some pointing to audio and visual bugs, while others simply didn't get on with the story or combat. But, on balance, I still think it's worth playing, and if you're quick you can grab it with that 34% discount. It's $39.59/£29.69 on Steam.

Thanks, PCGamesN.

Samuel Horti

Samuel Horti is a long-time freelance writer for PC Gamer based in the UK, who loves RPGs and making long lists of games he'll never have time to play. 

Latest in Adventure
Hogwarts Legacy potions professor holding a potion
An unannounced Hogwarts Legacy expansion and 'definitive edition' have reportedly been cancelled
A motley crew riding out in point-and-click adventure Rosewater
Promising '90s style point-and-clicker Rosewater rides out today, featuring trail-worn cowpoke authors and weird alt-universe science
It's ENA! From the free adventure Dream BBQ!
Mindbending free multimedia adventure ENA: Dream BBQ is out now, has activated all my neurons and opened my third eye
Image of illuminated manuscript-style drawings from the game Pentiment.
Random characters kept swearing in Obsidian's font-obsessed murder-mystery when its procedural error system ran amok: 'Naughtiness abounded'
An image of a corpse with the text "You've been re-educated."
I played the lost videogame sequel to 1984, and came away more nostalgic than ever for gaming's awkward adolescence in 1999
Rosella encounters a satyr in a forest in King's Quest 4
Eagle-eyed streamer spots that Roberta Williams' portrait in King's Quest 4 is based on her author photo on the back of the game box: 'I never noticed it before.'
Latest in News
A screenshot from SaGa Frontier 2, showing one of the protagonists wandering through a quaint fantasy village
One of Square Enix' most underrated PlayStation-era JRPGs just shadow dropped on Steam
The titular character from Princess Mononoke is depicted riding the wolf goddess Moro and carrying a spear.
Studio Ghibli AI image trend floods social media, cheered on by OpenAI and denounced by critics as an insult to Hayao Miyazaki
Marvel Rivals tier list - Wolverine
Marvel Rivals director says a future patch will reduce the shooter's insatiable hunger for RAM: 'It's a very big problem'
Hogwarts Legacy potions professor holding a potion
An unannounced Hogwarts Legacy expansion and 'definitive edition' have reportedly been cancelled
Story of Seasons - A cahacter in a purple tuxedo stands outside in a town square talking to the player
Story of Seasons is doing another Harvest Moon remake and it might be the best the series has ever looked
Assassin's Creed Shadows change seasons - An upper-body shot of Yasuke looking cheerfully up into the distance.
Assassin's Creed Shadows puts up the 'second highest day-one sales revenue in Assassin's Creed franchise history'