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So, how was the past year in your household? Could it be described as truly wonderful as one might claim on Facebook? Full of academic success for your offspring and wild themed fancy dress gatherings for the adults? Or perhaps it was a ocean of disappointment with only occasional entertaining highlights? And was any of it actually real, or is everyone now AI-generated AI slop beings with celebrity teeth?

I've assembled everyone for a reflection, ready or not, to discuss the most important thing in twelve months: which releases we played the most. Let's get started:

Title Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"This isn't my definitive list."

Meanwhile, on mobile, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "attempting to locate reasonable healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In the actual world."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

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

Release 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 tackling Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her avatar has a thriving utopia with far better healthcare than her big sister has in real life.

Game the Wife Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She began the year at sixty percent 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 extract pins.

Title I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he complains, I reply that I am behaving this way to build character so he can mature and play games for grownups. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

It wasn't even close for this one. She is a machine. Even better than I was at classic rhythm games in my prime.

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

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

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that constantly evolve their range is you wake up one day and see it is all just an attempt to trap you with compulsion-based microtransactions. So enjoyment soured 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. Immersive atmosphere from the beginning. I wish I could dispatch my demons so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just lacked the focused attention to give it what it needed earlier this year. With holiday guests 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 know Balatro was the previous year's sleeper hit, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is remarkable. It just gets each element right. The core concept is a brilliant concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so creative it has become a game I literally would play at any hour. Throw in the charm of the card design, and this is an definite pinnacle of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a broken-down lift for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.

Game I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I endured a wave of criticism when I wrote about how a glitch in another game ruined the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I valued even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the commenter who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I share that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and they are obviously an excellent judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a bastard-hard exploration-focused thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". How delightful. I acknowledge that it looks ace and is perfection if you are into this kind of thing, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I am less interested in in my mid-fifties. I was around back when most games were like this, and I’ve had enough. It was fine when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Toss-up between business deals that raised eyebrows, and expensive game releases. Both difficult to justify and repugnant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique names bellowed from the doorstep 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 video games or phone use, but it burns like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after 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.