DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations is receiving exceptionally strong reviews, giving Xbox another possible awards contender for 2026.
The expansion currently holds scores ranging from 89 to 91 across major review aggregators. That puts it close to Forza Horizon 6, which earned a 90 average and was ranked as one of the strongest new games released during the first half of the year.
Critics have praised Revelations for building on the combat of the base game while restoring some of the speed and mobility associated with DOOM Eternal. The new Chain Spear has received particular attention because it allows players to move more aggressively during combat.
Several reviews also describe the expansion as a substantial campaign rather than a short collection of extra missions. That matters because awards organisations may consider downloadable content for categories normally associated with complete games.
| Review outlet | Score |
|---|---|
| GameSpew | 10 out of 10 |
| DayOne | 9.5 out of 10 |
| IGN | 9 out of 10 |
| Press Start Australia | 9 out of 10 |
| PowerUp! | 8.5 out of 10 |
Revelations combines the strengths of two modern DOOM games
The strongest praise focuses on how Revelations adjusts the combat formula introduced in DOOM: The Dark Ages.
The base game moved away from some of DOOM Eternal’s constant movement and placed greater emphasis on defence, timing and close range aggression. Revelations appears to preserve that foundation while giving the player more freedom to move quickly through encounters.
The Chain Spear is central to that change. It provides another way to close distance, reposition and maintain pressure during large battles.
Reviewers have described the result as a balance between the heavier style of The Dark Ages and the faster rhythm of DOOM Eternal. This allows the expansion to feel familiar without simply copying either game.
The difficulty has also received attention. Revelations is reportedly demanding, particularly for players who have not fully learned the systems of the base game.
That challenge appears to be intentional rather than the result of poor balance. The expansion expects players to use movement, weapons and defensive tools efficiently instead of relying on one strategy.
The expansion offers more than a small set of missions
Revelations has been praised for the amount of content it provides.
Some reviewers describe it as a substantial campaign with enough new ideas to justify its place alongside the main game. It introduces new combat tools while expanding the environments and encounter design established in The Dark Ages.
A successful expansion does not need to rebuild every system. It can improve the original structure, correct weaknesses and give experienced players more difficult situations to master.
That appears to be the approach taken here. Revelations keeps the identity of the base game while addressing concerns about movement and combat flow.
The release also arrives alongside the Ripatorium 3.0 update, which adds further reasons to return to the game. Together, the expansion and update make The Dark Ages a broader package than it was at launch.
DLC can qualify for major Game of the Year awards
Revelations may be eligible for more awards than many players expect.
The Game Awards allows downloadable expansions, remasters, remakes and new game seasons to compete across all categories, including Game of the Year.
Eligibility depends on whether the voting jury believes the new creative and technical work is substantial enough. The amount of new content, its value and how different it is from the original release can all be considered.
This means Revelations is not automatically excluded because it requires the base game.
The expansion would still face strong competition from complete releases, and some voters may prefer to recognise entirely new games. However, its high review scores make a nomination possible.
Forza Horizon 6 is another clear Xbox contender. Its 90 average and strong critical reception place it among the company’s most successful releases of the year so far.
GTA 6 could dominate the wider awards season
Xbox may still face difficult competition when major awards are decided later in 2026.
GTA 6 is expected to receive significant attention if it launches within the eligibility period and meets expectations. Large releases from other publishers could also change the rankings during the second half of the year.
That does not reduce the achievement of Revelations. Awards are spread across several categories, and an expansion can still receive recognition for action design, audio, technical work or accessibility even if it does not win the main Game of the Year prize.
The strength of its reviews also gives Xbox another critically successful release in a year that already includes Forza Horizon 6.
Whether Revelations receives a nomination will depend on the voting jury and the quality of games released over the remaining months.
The praise arrives after major changes at id Software
The positive reception has also renewed discussion about the recent layoffs at id Software.
The studio reportedly lost a considerable number of employees shortly before Revelations received widespread praise. Its current size is said to be closer to the team that developed DOOM in 2016.
That comparison does not fully explain how the reduction will affect future projects. Modern games have become more complicated, and development requirements can change significantly over a decade.
A smaller team may still produce strong work, particularly if it retains experienced leadership and technology. However, fewer employees can also increase production time or reduce the number of projects a studio can manage.
Revelations shows that the development team remained capable of producing highly rated content. It also makes the timing of the cuts more difficult for some players and former employees to accept.
For now, the expansion stands as one of the most acclaimed Xbox releases of 2026. Its combination of refined movement, difficult combat and meaningful new content has placed it in the awards discussion despite being DLC rather than a separate game.
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