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Well, how was the past year in your home? Could it be described as all as good as people post on social media? Packed with A-grades for the children and riotous dress-up celebrations for the grownups? Maybe it felt like a ocean of frustration with only sporadic fun highlights? And was any of it genuine, or are we all AI-generated virtual entities with perfect smiles?

I've assembled the family together, willing or unwilling, to reflect on the most important thing in a calendar year: which releases we enjoyed the most. Without further ado:

Release Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Why can't you pick just one?"

"You can't expect my definitive list."

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

"Virtually?"

"In the actual world."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in games on my phone." He was offended that I even asked. Point taken.

Release Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is 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 the Shark has a blooming utopia with infinitely 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 60% completion and ended it at eighty-two percent. It's a long haul not a sprint for her. Her phone game: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins.

Title I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Any time I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I rib him like a cross between a persistent critic. When he complains, I reply that I am behaving this way to prepare him so he can be a man and play games for mature audiences. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled 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 my peak gaming days 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 competitive game, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The worst thing about games that constantly evolve their range is you eventually realize and see it is all just an attempt to trap you with fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Stunning reinvention of a legendary franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the off. I wish I could dispatch my demons so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I'm unwilling to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just didn’t have the focused attention to give it what it required earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I will be playing this in the late night after appropriate hospitality.

Game That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was the previous year's sleeper hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is incredible. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a wonderful concept, but the effects behind the different special cards are so inventive it has become a game I literally would play at any hour. Add in the wittiness of the card design, and this is an absolute pinnacle of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.

Title I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I endured a minor pile-on when I wrote about 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 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 send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I share that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and he is obviously an astute judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". What a joy. I acknowledge that it is beautiful and is flawless if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my mid-fifties. I was around back when many games were like this, and I’ve had enough. It was okay when I was a kid, but so was many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming News of 2025

Toss-up between corporate partnerships that caused concern, and high launch costs. Both difficult to justify and repugnant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names bellowed from the doorstep at tea time.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. No joke. I don’t know if it’s because of button mashing or phone use, but it burns like the mines of sulphur in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after back in the 90s.

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 heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.