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Alright, what did you think of 2025 in your family? Was it entirely positive as one might claim on Facebook? Packed with top marks for your offspring and wild dress-up gatherings for the parents? Or perhaps it was a sea of disappointment with only sporadic entertaining highlights? Could any part be authentic, or have we all become seven-fingered AI slop beings with unrealistic dental work?

I have gathered my thoughts for a chat, willing or unwilling, to debate the crucial thing in any given year: which releases we were obsessed with the most. Let's get started:

Game Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Horizon Zero Dawn

"Why can't you pick just one?"

"It’s not my definitive list."

In the mobile realm, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "attempting to locate adequate healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In reality."

Release Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I don’t play games on my phone." He took umbrage that I suggested it. Fair enough.

Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into drama school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where the Shark has a successful utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her eldest sister has in the real world.

Release the Wife Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She began the year at sixty percent completion and finished the year at eighty-two percent. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.

Title I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he objects, I reply that I am doing this to prepare him so he can mature and play games for grownups. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

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

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

No other game compared to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted deck building wizard’s poker, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that frequently update their range is you eventually realize and realise it is all just an attempt to lure you into fomo-fuelled 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

Excellent reinvention of a iconic franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the beginning. I wish I could eviscerate my demons so effectively in real life.

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

Blue Prince

I decline to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just didn’t have the time or headspace to give it what it needed earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I will be playing this in the wee small hours after family time.

Title That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was the previous year's breakout game, but I was late to it. And it is incredible. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a fantastic concept, but the effects behind the different special cards are so imaginative it has become a game I could play any time. Combine that with the wittiness of the card design, and this is an true high-water mark of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Title I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a wave of criticism when I wrote about how a glitch in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a gargantuan gaming achievement in terms of overall polish – which I appreciated 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 "missing the point". I mention that in the exact way, because I appreciate the effort, and they are obviously an sharp judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a bastard-hard non-linear thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". Great fun. I understand that it is beautiful and is perfection if you are into this kind of thing, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my adulthood. I was around back when most games were like this, and I’ve had enough. It was fine when I was a kid, but so was many less comfortable things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Close call between business deals that caused concern, and premium pricing. Both ethically dubious and unpleasant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique 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 is sore like hellfire 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 make 2026 last until the end of days.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.