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Alright, what did you think of this year in your family? Was it truly wonderful as people post on online? Overflowing with A-grades for your offspring and wild dress-up birthday parties for the adults? Maybe it felt like a sea of disappointment with only rare entertaining moments? And was any of it genuine, or are we all seven-fingered synthetic personas with perfect smiles?

I have gathered my thoughts together, whether they wanted to or not, to reflect on the crucial thing in a calendar year: which video games we enjoyed the most. Let's get started:

Title Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"It’s not my games column."

In the mobile realm, she’s been playing Cityscapes and "attempting to locate reasonable healthcare."

"Virtually?"

"In reality."

Game Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He took umbrage that I suggested it. I respect that.

Title Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She's attempting to get into acting, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her character has a blooming utopia with significantly better healthcare than her eldest sister has outside the game.

Game the Partner Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She began the year at 60% completion and ended it at 82%. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. Her mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins.

Release I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he objects, I reply that I am doing this to build character so he can grow up and play games for mature audiences. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner for this one. She is incredible. Superior than I was at classic rhythm games in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted deck building digital pastime, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The catch about games that frequently update their range is you wake up one day and understand it is all just an attempt to lure you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Game I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Stunning reinvention of a classic franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the off. I wish I could eviscerate my demons so effectively in real life.

Title I Wish I Had Played More (Puzzle-Focused Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just was short on the time or headspace to give it what it needed earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the wee small hours after appropriate hospitality.

Title That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was last year's sleeper hit, but I was late to it. And it is incredible. It just gets every single thing right. Its gameplay loop is a wonderful concept, but the effects behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I literally would play constantly. Add in the charm of the card design, and this is an absolute pinnacle of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Game I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I received a wave of criticism when I critiqued how a glitch in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a gargantuan gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I valued even more after experiencing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the commenter who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I present that in the exact way, because I appreciate the effort, and they are obviously an sharp judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a bastard-hard exploration-focused thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". How delightful. I get that it looks ace and is ideal if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less in my current stage of life. I was around back when many games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was okay when I was a kid, but so was many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Debate between questionable alliances that caused concern, and expensive game releases. Both difficult to justify and unpleasant.

Games I Would Name My Children After, If I Was Ever Foolish Enough to Have More

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all make interesting names bellowed from the doorstep at tea time.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. Honestly. I don’t know if it’s because of console gaming or doomscrolling, but it aches like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after back in the 90s.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2026

Grand Theft Auto VI.
And it will come out in 2026, even if we have to stretch time until the heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.