Portal 2 Metacritic user score pounded

Despite bringing in some of the highest review scores of the year so far, the PC version of Portal 2 is taking an absolute battering on its Metacritic user score page.

Whereas its straight Metacritic rating currently sits at a very healthy 95, its PC user score average is a dismal 5.1.

Posters are rallying around four main complaints, with the game's online store apparently causing the most uproar. As detailed on Rock Paper Shotgun, Valve has included day one DLC that asks users to shell out up to £5 a pop for various non-essential cosmetic items and gestures for their co-op robot.

Secondly, many are complaining that the campaign is too short, offering only around four hours of gameplay.

Some are also arguing that the PC version is a straight port of the console version, probably prompted by a "Please don't turn off your console" message that appears when you save the game.

Finally, Valve's ARG Potato Sack ruse – which asked users to shell out for a bundle of indie games in order to help unlock the game on Steam before its published release date - seems to have backfired on them, with many laying into the marketing campaign in their 0/10 reviews.

"It's shorter than some internet flash games i've played, is loaded with day 1 DLC, and has a terrible port from consoles. The price is 900% what it should be for what essentially amounts to less effort than most oblivion mods," wrote one reviewer.

"Ridiculous DLC on day 1!" stated another. "And both endings have been spoilt virally by Valve. And while the console versions were leaked 2 weeks early, the PC version was still subject to the gimmicky grab for cash to allow for a faster unlock via steam. Is this going to be the future of PC gaming? No wonder that PC gaming is dying."

The PlayStation 3 version has also come under attack, with its user score currently at 5.4, while the Xbox 360 version has gotten off lightly, with a 6.6 rating.

While complaints about the DLC and ARG campaign are arguably valid, the claims regarding its length are hugely exaggerated, and that save screen message is likely just an unfortunate slip-up on Valve's part.

"There's simply too much game here for it never to falter – but it hardly ever does," wrote Eurogamer's Oli Welsh in his 10/10 review. "It's so generous and complete, so satisfying in each moment and in the whole, that a momentary lull, an overused mechanic or a cheap gag seem like trivial flaws."

Regarding the console port accusations, he wrote, "Digital Foundry will present a full multi-format Portal 2 comparison soon, but for now let's note that only the consoles offer split-screen co-op, while PC and Mac are arguably the best showcase for Valve's crisp visuals and precise controls."