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Well, how was this year in your household? Could it be described as truly wonderful as people post on social media? Packed with academic success for your offspring and wild dress-up gatherings for the grownups? Maybe it felt like a swamp of disappointment with only rare fun moments? Could any part be authentic, or are we all digitally altered AI slop beings with perfect dental work?

I have gathered my thoughts together, ready or not, to debate 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

"Why can't you pick just one?"

"You can't expect my personal ranking."

On her phone, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "trying to find adequate healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In reality."

Release Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He took umbrage that the question was posed. Point taken.

Title Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She's attempting to get into theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was playing Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her character has a successful utopia with far better healthcare than her eldest sister has outside the game.

Release the Partner Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She began 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 mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins.

Game I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he protests, I reply that I am behaving this way to build character so he can be a man and play games for mature audiences. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner for this one. She is a machine. Even better than I was at my peak gaming days in my prime.

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this remarkably well-crafted card game competitive game, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that constantly evolve their range is you have a moment of clarity and see it is all just an attempt to lure you into 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

Stunning reinvention of a legendary franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the start. I wish I could eviscerate my issues so effectively in real life.

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

Blue Prince

I'm unwilling to rush this stunning, original game and I just lacked the focused attention to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the early morning after evening drinks.

Game That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was 2024’s sleeper hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is incredible. It just gets absolutely everything right. Crazy Poker is a brilliant concept, but the effects behind the different special cards are so creative it has become a game I literally would play constantly. Throw in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an true peak of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Title I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I received a bit of backlash when I wrote about how a glitch 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 appreciated even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the reader who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I present that verbatim, because I respect the passion, and she is obviously an astute judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a punishingly tough non-linear thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". What a joy. I get that it has great art and is flawless if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I am less interested in in my mid-fifties. I was around back when all games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was fine when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Toss-up between business deals that caused concern, and expensive game releases. Both ethically dubious and repugnant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names bellowed 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 console gaming or phone use, but it aches like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured back in the past.

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.