Best DLC/Expansion of 2025 - Article
by Lee Mehr , posted on 19 January 2026 / 1,766 Views
Unlike 2021, 2022, 2023, & 2024, 2025 marks the first time the Best DLC/Expansion category didn't have an obvious favorite; in fact, of the six options that made it past our preliminary round this year, five of them netted around 20% of the user vote. So, the five-year anniversary of this award category has a different perspective. Without an uber-popular choice casting its long shadow, our community (users & staff alike) faced a tougher challenge when evaluating an expansion's quality. Which had the most interesting design? Which one served as the best compliment to the main game? Whether by innovation or iteration, these finalists breathed new life into several cherished games of the past few years.
The Shortlist:
Elden Ring Nightreign: The Forsaken Hollows
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants
Lies of P: Overture
Sea of Stars: Throes of the Watchmaker
The Runner-Up:
Lies of P: Overture
Lies of P was already a genuine surprise for the Souls-like community; in fact, it's not hard to find die-hard fans say it's the best one not developed by FromSoftware. Likewise, Lies of P: Overture is held in close esteem compared to some of FromSoft's best pre-Erdtree expansions. Between a new prequel storyline, new weapons, new bosses, and important mechanical updates, NEOWIZ continues to impress.
The Winner:
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants
You want more Indy? You got it! General sentiment with The Order of Giants is that it's essentially like getting a dessert at a familiar restaurant. The main course fused a non-supernatural Dishonored-esque template onto Indiana Jones' pulp-adventure sensibilities, so now comes out the Tiramisu. Then again, the Roman catacombs outside the base game's Vatican City don't sound like the typical palette cleanser.
The location may not seem as intriguing at first blush, but that's why MachineGames earns so much credit. Interconnecting special Roman landmarks with underground sewers and crypts feels like the perfect setting for several Indy-flavored set pieces. Tie that alongside several engaging puzzles and a darker storyline and it's easy to see why this community adored it.
