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So, what did you think of this year in your home? Did it seem truly wonderful as you pretended on social media? Packed with academic success for the kids and riotous costume birthday parties for the grownups? Or was it a ocean of frustration with only occasional fun moments? And was any of it genuine, or is everyone now AI-generated virtual entities with celebrity teeth?

I've corralled the family together, willing or unwilling, to reflect on the most important thing in any given year: which releases we were obsessed with the most. Without further ado:

Game Eldest Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"This isn't my personal ranking."

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

"In the game?"

"In reality."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I suggested it. I respect that.

Game Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She's attempting to get into theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her character has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her eldest sister has in real life.

Release the Spouse Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started 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 extract pins.

Game I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he complains, I reply that I am engaging in this to prepare him so he can mature and play games for mature audiences. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Impressive Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

There was no contest for this one. She is a machine. More impressive than I was at my peak gaming days in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

No other game compared to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted card game competitive game, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The worst thing about games that constantly evolve their range is you eventually realize and realise it is all just an attempt to suck you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So love turned to hate halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Glorious reinvention of a iconic franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the start. I wish I could eviscerate my demons so effectively in real life.

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

Blue Prince

I decline to rush this stunning, original game and I just was short on the time or headspace to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the late night after evening drinks.

Title That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It

Balatro

I acknowledge Balatro was the previous year's breakout game, but I was a late adopter. And it is remarkable. It just gets every single thing right. The core concept is a brilliant concept, but the powers behind the different special cards are so imaginative it has become a game I could play any time. Add in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an definite high-water mark of gaming. I dream of 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 experienced a bit of backlash when I wrote about how a technical issue in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of overall polish – which I valued even more after slogging through Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the reader who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I present that in the exact way, because I appreciate the effort, and he is obviously an astute judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Sure. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". What a joy. I understand that it looks ace and is ideal 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 many games were like this, and I'm over it. It was acceptable when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many less comfortable things.

Biggest Gaming News of 2025

Debate between corporate partnerships that caused concern, and premium pricing. Both difficult to justify 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 called from the garden 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 video games or phone use, but it aches like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured back in the past.

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 end of days.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.