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Alright, how was this year in your home? Was it all as good as one might claim on Facebook? Overflowing with A-grades for the kids and elaborate themed fancy dress gatherings for the parents? Or perhaps it was a sea of frustration with only rare fun highlights? Is any of this authentic, or is everyone now AI-generated virtual entities with unrealistic dental work?

I have gathered my thoughts together, willing or unwilling, to reflect on the most important thing in any given year: what titles we were obsessed with the most. Without further ado:

Title Eldest Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"You can't expect my personal ranking."

Meanwhile, on mobile, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "searching for adequate healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In reality."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I suggested it. I respect that.

Title Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into drama school, but when she took a break from vocals, she was playing Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where the Shark has a successful utopia with significantly better healthcare than her big sister has outside the game.

Title the Wife Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at sixty percent completion and finished the year at 82%. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins.

Title I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Any time I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a persistent critic. When he protests, I reply that I am engaging in this to toughen him up so he can grow up and play games for adults. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

There was no contest for this one. She is unstoppable. More impressive than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted card game wizard’s poker, with its ever-changing 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 have a moment of clarity and understand it is all just an attempt to suck you into compulsion-based microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it was deleted.

Game I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Excellent reinvention of a legendary franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the off. I wish I could dispatch my problems so effectively in real life.

Game 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 focused attention to give it what it needed earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the late night after appropriate hospitality.

Game That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was 2024’s breakout game, but I was a late adopter. And it is remarkable. It just gets each element right. Its gameplay loop is a fantastic concept, but the powers behind the different special cards are so inventive it has become a game I could play at any hour. 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 elevator for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.

Game I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I received a minor pile-on when I mentioned how a glitch in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I valued even more after slogging through Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the reader who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I mention that verbatim, because I respect the passion, and they are obviously an astute judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Sure. Give me a bastard-hard exploration-focused thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". 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 am less interested in in my adulthood. I was around back when all games were like this, and I’ve had enough. It was fine when I was a kid, but so was many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Debate between corporate partnerships that caused concern, 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 be unique names called from the back door 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 endless scrolling, 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 stretch time until the cows come home.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.