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Alright, what did you think of this year in your family? Did it seem truly wonderful as you pretended on Facebook? Overflowing with top marks for the kids and elaborate themed fancy dress birthday parties for the grownups? Or perhaps it was a sea of frustration with only occasional fun highlights? And was any of it actually real, or are we all seven-fingered virtual entities with perfect smiles?

I've corralled my thoughts for a chat, whether they wanted to or not, to reflect on the paramount thing in twelve months: which video games we enjoyed the most. Let's get started:

Release Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"This isn't my games column."

On her phone, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "searching for decent healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In real life."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He was offended that I even asked. Fair enough.

Game Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was playing Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her character has a thriving utopia with significantly better healthcare than her older sibling has outside the game.

Title 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. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. Her phone game: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins.

Release I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he protests, I reply that I am engaging in this to toughen him up so he can grow up and play games for grownups. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

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

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

It was in a league of its own to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted deck building wizard’s poker, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The worst thing about games that frequently update their range is you have a moment of clarity and realise it is all just an attempt to trap you with fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it went into the bin.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Excellent reinvention of a classic franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the start. I wish I could eviscerate my problems so effectively in real life.

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

Blue Prince

I'm unwilling to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just didn’t have the time or headspace to give it what it needed earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the late night after appropriate hospitality.

Game That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was last year's surprise hit, but I was late to it. And it is exceptional. It just gets each element right. The core concept is a brilliant concept, but the abilities behind the different joker cards are so inventive it has become a game I literally would play at any hour. Combine that with the wittiness of the card design, and this is an definite pinnacle of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a small space for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.

Title I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I received a bit of backlash when I critiqued how a glitch in another game ruined the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I appreciated even more after slogging through Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the individual who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I share that in the exact way, because I acknowledge the engagement, and she 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 Metroidvania-esque thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". How delightful. I get that it is beautiful and is flawless if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less in my adulthood. 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 News of 2025

Toss-up between questionable alliances that sparked debate, and high launch costs. Both ethically dubious and repugnant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names called from the garden at dinner time.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. Honestly. I don’t know if it’s because of button mashing or endless scrolling, but it aches like the mines of sulphur in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs protected 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 stretch time until the heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.