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Well, what did you think of the past year in your household? Was it entirely positive as one might claim on Facebook? Full of A-grades for your offspring and wild costume gatherings for the parents? Maybe it felt like a sea of letdowns with only occasional fun highlights? Is any of this authentic, or have we all become AI-generated AI slop beings with celebrity dental work?

I have gathered the family for a reflection, ready or not, to discuss the paramount thing in twelve months: which video games we were obsessed with the most. Let's get started:

Game First Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"You can't expect my games column."

On her phone, she’s been playing Cityscapes and "trying to find adequate healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In the actual world."

Game Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He was offended that the question was posed. I respect that.

Title Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into theatre school, but when she wasn’t singing, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where her character has a thriving utopia with far better healthcare than her eldest sister has outside the game.

Release the Wife Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at 60% completion and ended it at 82%. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. Her phone game: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins.

Game I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I rib him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he complains, I reply that I am engaging in this to prepare him so he can be a man and play games for adults. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member This Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

There was no contest for this one. She is a machine. More impressive than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix 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 remarkably well-crafted card game wizard’s poker, with its ever-changing 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 eventually realize and understand it is all just an attempt to trap you with fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So love turned to hate halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Game I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Glorious reinvention of a legendary franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the start. I wish I could deal with my demons so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I decline to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just didn’t have the mental bandwidth to give it what it required earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I will be playing this in the late night after evening drinks.

Title That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I acknowledge Balatro was 2024’s sleeper hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is exceptional. It just gets absolutely everything right. Its gameplay loop is a wonderful concept, but the abilities behind the different special cards are so inventive it has become a game I could play any time. Throw in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an true high-water mark of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a broken-down lift for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.

Game I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I endured a bit of backlash when I wrote about how a specific bug in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I valued even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the individual who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I mention that as written, because I appreciate the effort, and they are obviously an sharp judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". What a joy. I acknowledge that it has great art and is ideal if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my adulthood. I was around back when all games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was okay when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Debate between business deals that sparked debate, and premium pricing. Both difficult to justify and concerning.

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 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 video games or endless scrolling, 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 cows come home.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.