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Alright, how did you experience the past year in your home? Was it truly wonderful as people post on Facebook? Packed with A-grades for the kids and elaborate dress-up birthday parties for the adults? Or perhaps it was a ocean of disappointment with only rare fun moments? Could any part be actually real, or have we all become AI-generated AI slop beings with celebrity teeth?

I've corralled my thoughts for a reflection, whether they wanted to or not, to debate the paramount thing in twelve months: which video games we were obsessed with the most. Without further ado:

Title First Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"It’s not my games column."

On her phone, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "trying to find decent healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In the actual world."

Game Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in games on my phone." He was offended that the question was posed. Point taken.

Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She's attempting to get into acting, but when she wasn’t singing, she was playing Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where her character has a successful utopia with significantly better healthcare than her eldest sister has outside the game.

Game the Wife Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at 60% completion and finished the year at eighty-two percent. It's a long haul not a sprint for her. Her mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.

Title I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he objects, I reply that I am behaving this way to toughen him up so he can be a man and play games for grownups. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Impressive Gaming Family Member This Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner for this one. She is unstoppable. More impressive than I was at my peak gaming days in my prime.

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this remarkably well-crafted strategy digital pastime, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The worst thing about games that endlessly add to their range is you eventually realize and understand it is all just an attempt to suck you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Glorious reinvention of a classic franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the beginning. I wish I could deal with my problems so effectively in real life.

Title I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I'm unwilling to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just lacked the mental bandwidth to give it what it needed earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the early morning after evening drinks.

Game That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I acknowledge Balatro was last year's surprise hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is exceptional. It just gets each element right. Crazy Poker is a fantastic concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so inventive it has become a game I would happily play any time. Throw in the charm of the card design, and this is an true peak of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.

Game I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I endured a bit of backlash when I mentioned how a technical issue in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I appreciated even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the commenter who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I present that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and she is obviously an astute judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a brutally difficult non-linear thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". What a joy. I understand that it is beautiful and is flawless if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my mid-fifties. I was around back when all games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was fine when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Close call between business deals that sparked debate, and expensive game releases. Both ethically dubious and unpleasant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique names shouted from the doorstep at dinner time.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. No joke. I don’t know if it’s because of button mashing or doomscrolling, but it aches like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured back in the day.

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 wait patiently until the heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.