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Well, what did you think of the past year in your home? Did it seem entirely positive as people post on Facebook? Full of top marks for the children and riotous themed fancy dress celebrations for the adults? Maybe it felt like a swamp of disappointment with only rare fun highlights? Could any part be actually real, or are we all digitally altered AI slop beings with perfect teeth?

I've corralled the family together, willing or unwilling, to reflect on the paramount thing in a calendar year: which video games we were obsessed with the most. Without further ado:

Title Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Horizon Zero Dawn

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"You can't expect my personal ranking."

Meanwhile, on mobile, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "searching for decent healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In reality."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

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

Release Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She's attempting to get into acting, but when she took a break from vocals, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her avatar has a blooming utopia with far better healthcare than her eldest sister has in real life.

Release the Spouse Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

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

Release I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he protests, I reply that I am engaging in this to build character so he can be a man and play games for grownups. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member This 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.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted card game wizard’s poker, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The catch about games that constantly evolve their range is you eventually realize and understand it is all just an attempt to suck you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So love turned to hate halfway through the year and it was deleted.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

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

Title I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just was short on the mental bandwidth to give it what it needed earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the early morning after evening drinks.

Title That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was the previous year's surprise hit, but I was late to it. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. Crazy Poker is a brilliant concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so inventive it has become a game I literally would play constantly. Combine that with the cleverness of the card design, and this is an true peak of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.

Title I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I received a wave of criticism when I critiqued how a technical issue in another game damaged 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 experiencing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the reader who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I mention that in the exact way, because I appreciate the effort, and he is obviously an sharp 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 don’t tell me 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 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 many games were like this, and I'm over it. 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 caused concern, and premium pricing. Both morally indefensible and concerning.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all make interesting names called from the doorstep at bedtime.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. Seriously. I don’t know if it’s because of video games or endless scrolling, but it burns like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after 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 stretch time until the end of days.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.