When does Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition get good?

Give it 20 hours. In the first 2 hours 1 in 4 reviews are negative (27%); after 35h it's 1 in 10 (10%). Fully opens up by hour 35.

How many players finish Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition?

46% of players who start reach the ending.

All games

ActionAdventure

Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition

Sep 14, 2018 Steam: Very Positive

Give it 20 hours

Gets good by 20h then rated almost like by veterans

Fully opens up by 35h rated like by long-time players

Reach the ending 46% of players who started

Started playing 90% of owners

Steam reviews 85% positive of 88,907

What the data shows

In the first 2 hours 1 in 4 reviews are negative (27%); after 35h it's 1 in 10 (10%).
Fully opens up by hour 35.
46% of players who start reach the ending.
The biggest drop-off is between “Path of the Stars” and “Día de Muertos” (Remove the dagger from the Temple of the Moon): from 100% to 91% of starters.
90% of owners got the first achievement.

When it gets good

Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.

before it gets good opening up fully opened up

Based on all 89,366 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 300 reviews: 15.1h for positive, 10.9h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.

Where players quit

Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (89.9% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.

Started playing 100%
Path of the Stars Decipher the Path of the Stars 100%
Día de Muertos Remove the dagger from the Temple of the Moon Most players quit here 91% −9
Recipe for Disaster Survive the flood 89% −2
Survival Instincts Defeat the Empress Jaguar 80% −9
Fire of Life Enter the Temple of Life's inner chamber 71% −9
The Hidden City Find Paititi 67% −4
The Underworld Get out of the Cenote alive 58% −9
Heart of the Serpent Find the mission of San Juan 52% −6
The Chosen One Find the Silver Box of Ix Chel 50% −2
Quite the Adventure Finish the main storyline 46% −4

story milestone ending biggest drop-off

Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.

All achievements (99)

story milestone ending side

Path of the Stars Decipher the Path of the Stars 100%
Día de Muertos Remove the dagger from the Temple of the Moon 91%
Recipe for Disaster Survive the flood 89%
First Steps Purchase a Skill 86%
Survival Instincts Defeat the Empress Jaguar 80%
Look, Over There! Kill 3 enemies while they are distracted 76%
Fire of Life Enter the Temple of Life's inner chamber 71%
The Hidden City Find Paititi 67%
Asking Price Buy an item from a merchant 67%
First Blood Perform a Stealth Takedown from a mud-covered wall 65%
Treasures from the Past Decipher a Monolith 62%
The Underworld Get out of the Cenote alive 58%
New Heights Complete a climb after finding the Overhang Climbing Gear 58%
Untold Riches Gather 40 gold ore 58%
Like a Shadow Stealth Takedown 25 enemies 57%
Archeologist Complete an Artifact Collection 57%
Tables Turned Kill 5 enemies while they are searching for Lara 57%
Point of Interest Learn of 5 interesting locations from civilians 56%
Help thy Neighbor Complete a Side Mission 56%
Family Ties Free Unuratu from prison 53%
Heart of the Serpent Find the mission of San Juan 52%
Makeshift Arsenal Fully upgrade a weapon 51%
The Chosen One Find the Silver Box of Ix Chel 50%
Back to Where We Started Return to Paititi 49%
Playing with Fire Burn 2 enemies simultaneously 48%
Queen of the Damned Make an unlikely ally 47%
Unwelcome Guests Get rid of the pillagers outside of Kuwaq Yaku 46%
Smart and Resourceful Complete Shadow of the Tomb Raider on Smart and Resourceful difficulty 46%
Quite the Adventure Finish the main storyline 46%
Better Equipped Get 3 pieces of equipment 42%
Resting Places Uncover 3 main game Crypts' secrets 40%
Stele Hunter Complete 3 main game Challenge Tombs 40%
I Believe Hakan Fly Rescue Hakan from the cultists 38%
Zoologist Collect 20 critters 38%
Marksman Perform 20 headshots with the bow 38%
Hearts and Minds Retrieve Manko's Necklace 37%
Rite of Passage Complete Shadow of the Tomb Raider on Rite of Passage difficulty 37%
Last Known Position Lose the enemy 10 times 35%
That's a Knife! Fully upgrade the knife 31%
Total Party Kill Kill 5 enemies with friendly fire 30%
Legendary Hunter Hunt and loot 5 rare animals 29%
Up to the Challenge Complete 5 Challenges 27%
Chain Gang Perform the Serpent's Fury 3 times 27%
Beast of Legend Defeat the Nahual 25%
Thread the Past Restore 5 vestige outfit pieces 25%
To the Nines Restore and equip a matching vestige outfit 24%
That Was A Breeze Complete the Path of Huracan Challenge Tomb 24%
On the Go Craft special ammunition 50 times 23%
Go With The Flow Complete The Age Makers Side Mission 23%
Underwater Archeologist Collect 5 underwater Artifacts 23%
Good Samaritan Complete 8 Side Missions 21%
Monkey Do Complete the Howl of the Monkey Gods Challenge Tomb 19%
Destiny's Trialed Complete the Forge of Destiny Challenge Tomb 19%
Harmony Complete the Path of Fear Side Mission 19%
Mushroom With A View Complete The Sixth Seal Challenge Tomb 19%
He Ain't Heavy Complete The Dragon and the Prince Side Mission 18%
Heir Born Complete the Echoes of the Past Side Mission and discover Abby’s ancient origins 18%
Surprise! Perform 5 Eagle's Talon Takedowns 18%
Tomb Raider Complete all main game Challenge Tombs 17%
Sixth Sense Hunt and kill 10 enemies while Perception is active 16%
Hydro Power Complete the Slayer's Gauntlet Challenge Tomb 15%
Specialized Earn all skills in one category 14%
Whole World Blind Complete the Two Graves Side Mission 14%
Caiman Conquered Complete the Zipacna's Craving Challenge Tomb 14%
Leaping Lizards Complete The Wrathful God Side Mission 13%
Como Te Llama Pet 5 llamas 12%
In the Moment Kill 10 enemies while Focus is active 11%
Treasure Hunter Find and open all the main game Conquistador treasure chests 9.2%
Put Herself Together Complete the Mother Protector Challenge Tomb 9.0%
Moonlight Sonata Complete the Eternal Reward Side Mission 8.3%
Seasoned Pro Complete all 7 downloadable content missions and receive the Tunic of the Shorn One 7.8%
Dr. Croft Complete all Artifact Collections 7.5%
Gunslinger Perform 3 headshots in 3 seconds with the pistol 7.3%
Completionist Reach 100% completion 6.5%
One with the Jungle Complete Shadow of the Tomb Raider on One with the Jungle difficulty 6.3%
Thanksgiving Shoot a turkey with a Flare Round 4.3%
Creature Comforts Obtain White Breath skill, equip Grip of Fear White Knuckle and Scales of Q Feathered Serpent 4.1%
Bleeding Edge Obtain the Grenadier Skill, equip the Umbrage 3-80 Shade weapon, and Brocken Shadow outfit 3.8%
Eyes Of The Storm Obtain A Thousand Eyes skill, equip elite versions of Oathtaker's Bow and Sinchi Chiqa Battle Dress 3.6%
Spoiled For Choice Obtain Divine Bounty skill, equip Serpent Lash Godslayer weapon and Dragon Scales Legend outfit 3.6%
Ready To Rumble Obtain the Volcano Skill, equip Whispering Scourge Pandemic weapon and Reptile Hide Leviathan outfit 3.3%
Made to Endure Takedown 10 enemies while Endurance is active 3.1%
Dressed For Success Obtain the Raptor's Eye skill, equip the Silent Sting Scorpion weapon and Hunter's Array Apex outfit 3.0%
Moonlit Knight Obtain Magic Touch Skill, equip Silver Strike Moonbeam weapon and Midnight Sentinel Farseer outfit 2.8%
Deadly Obsession Complete Shadow of the Tomb Raider on Deadly Obsession difficulty 2.4%
Echoes of the Fast Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Time Attack for the Forge of Destiny Challenge Tomb 1.9%
Echoes of the Furious Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Score Attack for the Forge of Destiny Challenge Tomb 1.9%
Float Like A Butterfly Obtain a Bronze, Silver or Gold medal in Time Attack for the Path of Huracan Challenge Tomb 1.9%
Cannonized Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Score Attack for the Sixth Seal Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Chak Attack Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Score Attack for the Mother Protector Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Chel Game Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Time Attack for the Mother Protector Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Go Cart Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Time Attack for the Sixth Seal Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Go Fish Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Score Attack for the Slayer's Gauntlet Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Howl Long Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Time Attack for the Howl of the Monkey Gods Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Offshore Count Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Score Attack for the Zipacna's Craving Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Organ Grinder Obtain a Bronze, Silver or Gold medal in Score Attack for the Howl of the Monkey Gods Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Rapids Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Time Attack for the Slayer's Gauntlet Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Sting Like A Bee Obtain a Bronze, Silver or Gold medal in Score Attack for the Path of Huracan Challenge Tomb 1.8%
Zip It Obtain a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal in Time Attack for the Zipacna's Craving Challenge Tomb 1.8%

Steam page Updated: 2026-10-18.