🔗 Share this article

Well, how was this year in your home? Did it seem all as good as one might claim on online? Full of top marks for the kids and elaborate themed fancy dress birthday parties for the adults? Or perhaps it was a sea of disappointment with only occasional fun moments? And was any of it genuine, or is everyone now AI-generated virtual entities with celebrity smiles?

I've corralled everyone for a chat, willing or unwilling, to debate the most important thing in twelve months: which video games we enjoyed the most. Let's get started:

Release Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Why can't you pick just one?"

"This isn't my personal ranking."

In the mobile realm, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "searching for reasonable healthcare."

"Virtually?"

"In reality."

Game Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

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

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 playing Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her character has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her older sibling has in the real world.

Release the Spouse Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at 60% completion and finished the year at 82%. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.

Release I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I rib him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he objects, I reply that I am doing this to prepare him so he can be a man and play games for grownups. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner 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 competitive game, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The worst thing about games that endlessly add to their range is you wake up one day and see it is all just an attempt to lure you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Game I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

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

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)

Blue Prince

I decline to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just didn’t have the time or headspace to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the wee small hours after family time.

Title That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It

Balatro

I acknowledge Balatro was 2024’s surprise hit, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is remarkable. It just gets every single thing right. Its gameplay loop is a fantastic concept, but the abilities behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I could play any time. Combine that with the charm of the card design, and this is an absolute pinnacle of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a small space for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.

Game I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I received a wave of criticism when I wrote about how a specific bug in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of overall polish – which I appreciated even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the commenter who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". 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

Alright. Give me a punishingly tough exploration-focused thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". Great fun. I get that it has great art and is flawless if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less in my mid-fifties. I was around back when all games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was acceptable when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Toss-up between questionable alliances that sparked debate, and high launch costs. 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 make interesting names bellowed from the doorstep 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 button mashing or doomscrolling, but it aches like hellfire 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 wait patiently until the cows come home.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.