Few shooters have managed to stay relevant for as long as DOOM. We remember playing DOOM 3 and being absolutely blown away by the graphics and the game mechanics. DOOM (2016), however, modernized the series, took it in a different direction, and brought back raw aggression in the best way possible. DOOM Eternal practically demanded that we master every weapon and movement mechanic it threw at us. To us, it was a bit too much and, try as we might, we never could finish it. The Dark Ages was the perfect balance for us. It slowed things down just enough and, to our surprise, it handed us a shield that was an awesome multi-tool of destruction. Best of all, it let us operate heavy, destructive machinery and even fly dragons—all of that in a breathtaking medieval setting. That was not enough.
Hell Needed One More War
Revelations is not a DLC—at least, not in the common sense. It’s a full-born expansion, just like in the old days. It focuses on giving us more reasons to enjoy the game: new locations, tougher enemies, larger puzzles, another batch of arena fights, and one new weapon that completely changes how we move through combat. All of that is masterfully combined and served on a silver platter as a massive addition to the base game. That new weapon, though. After a couple of fights, we quickly realized that the Chain Spear changes the flow of combat far more than expected.
One Weapon Changes Everything
It only takes a few encounters before the Chain Spear starts feeling like it always belonged here. The Shield Saw still remains our favorite, and the spear doesn’t necessarily replace it outright. We constantly switch between the two depending on what the situation demands. The shield still excels at defense, parries, and crowd control, but the spear is here to introduce another layer of aggression. As we pulled ourselves toward enemies, extending combos, repositioning across arenas, and keeping offensive momentum alive in those first few opening moments, we were giggling like schoolgirls, unable to hide our excitement. The spear is used in ways the base campaign rarely encouraged. It feels fast without becoming as frantic as DOOM Eternal. As we mentioned in the beginning, we see the expansion as something that bridges the last two games, striking a satisfying middle ground.
Another thing we found ourselves reaching for were weapons we hadn’t relied on nearly as much during the base campaign. As you surely know, enemies rarely stay where we expect them to, so fights become far less predictable. In a span of just a few moments, we might pull a demon across the arena with the spear, then swap back to the shield to block an incoming attack. Somewhere between those two actions, we would dive in and out of the crowd. The new demons help sell that idea of fast improvisation. Unloading every weapon we have is neither practical nor satisfying, and the expansion demands that we pay attention to positioning first and foremost. Larger encounters become noticeably busier as fresh threats mix with familiar monsters, creating firefights that ask us to prioritize targets quickly. Returning after finishing the main campaign made us appreciate these encounters the most because the expansion assumes we are already comfortable with the existing mechanics.
When the Fighting Stops
Exploration remains an important part of the experience, and Revelations leans even harder into environmental puzzles than the original campaign. Don’t get us wrong, the puzzles aren’t especially difficult, but they do a good job of breaking up long stretches of violence. We spend time searching for switches, figuring out traversal routes, spotting hidden paths, and collecting optional rewards before the next battle erupts. Of course, some players won’t appreciate the slower pacing and will wish the game returned to shooting demons a little sooner. In most of those situations, we didn’t just feel like we had to explore—we wanted to, as we truly appreciated those quiet, laid-back moments of simply taking in the well-crafted world.
Speaking of which, every new area still carries that heavy medieval look The Dark Ages established. We couldn’t stop admiring the massive fortresses that tower over the battlefields. Similarly, while frozen ruins hide optional secrets, Hell remains as grotesque as ever without becoming visually confusing during combat. Even when the screen fills with projectiles and demons, it’s surprisingly easy to keep track of what’s happening. The id Tech engine still delivers dense battlefields packed with effects while keeping combat readable—which matters far more than flashy explosions when dozens of enemies are surrounding you.
It would also be a shame not to mention the soundtrack, which does exactly what we’d hope from a DOOM expansion. Heavy riffs kick in the moment a fight escalates, then quietly fade once the dust settles, with angelic undertones lulling you forward. It never steals the spotlight from the combat, but it constantly helps keep the energy high.
Ripatorium Keeps Growing
Outside the campaign, Ripatorium 3.0 is one of the expansion’s biggest long-term additions. The free update expands customization, but it also improves encounter sharing through shorter passcodes. Since we owned Revelations, we were able to unlock three additional arenas along with the new enemies and upgraded weapons after completing the story. Ripatorium 3.0 is a must for anyone who enjoys building their own combat scenarios or simply wants endless excuses to experiment with different weapon combinations. While waiting for the expansion to release, we spent countless hours here, and we’re happy to say that this mode now has considerably more staying power than it did at launch.
In an expansion that’s made with so much love and dedication, it’s increasingly hard to come up with negatives. But, if we had to nitpick, we would mention that there are times when the plot feels like it only exists to move us toward the next arena. It didn’t bother us much since it still introduces interesting new mysteries, but the story rarely steals attention away from the action. The puzzles can also occasionally interrupt the pace for longer than necessary. We like DOOM primarily because of the action, so we can see how some players might get a bit impatient whenever the pacing slows down.
The Slayer Finds His Rhythm Again
We never expected one new weapon to have such a noticeable impact on the entire expansion, yet that’s exactly what happened. The Chain Spear freshens up almost every encounter. The new demons keep us adapting and trying out new things. As a cherry on top, the expanded Ripatorium gave us another excuse to stick around for much longer. Revelations is a fantastic companion to The Dark Ages. It builds on what was already there, and it does so in a deeply worthwhile way.
9/10.
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