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Alright, how was the past year in your family? Could it be described as all as good as you pretended on social media? Full of academic success for your offspring and riotous costume celebrations for the adults? Or was it a sea of disappointment with only occasional fun moments? Is any of this genuine, or are we all AI-generated virtual entities with celebrity dental work?

I've corralled everyone together, ready or not, to debate the crucial thing in a calendar year: which video games we were obsessed with the most. Without further ado:

Title First Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"It’s not my personal ranking."

In the mobile realm, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "trying to find decent healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In real life."

Release Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I don’t play games on my phone." He was offended that the question was posed. Point taken.

Release Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where her avatar has a thriving utopia with far better healthcare than her older sibling has in real life.

Title 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 mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins.

Title I Laughed at 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 relentless heckler. When he complains, I reply that I am doing this to prepare him so he can be a man and play games for adults. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Impressive Gaming Family Member 2025

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

It was in a league of its own to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted strategy competitive game, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that constantly evolve their range is you eventually realize and understand it is all just an attempt to lure you into compulsion-based microtransactions. So enjoyment soured 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. Engrossing atmosphere from the beginning. I wish I could eviscerate my issues so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this stunning, original game and I just was short on the focused attention to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I will be playing this in the late night after evening drinks.

Game That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I acknowledge Balatro was the previous year's breakout game, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is incredible. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a brilliant concept, but the abilities behind the different wild cards are so inventive it has become a game I would happily play constantly. Add in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an definite high-water mark of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a broken-down lift for hours just so I have nothing to do 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 technical issue in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I valued even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the reader 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 he is obviously an astute judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a bastard-hard non-linear thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". Great fun. I get that it is beautiful and is flawless if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less in my current stage of life. I was around back when all games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was okay when I was a kid, but so was many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Close call between corporate partnerships that sparked debate, and high launch costs. Both ethically dubious and unpleasant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names called from the back door at bedtime.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. Honestly. I don’t know if it’s because of video games or doomscrolling, but it is sore like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs protected 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 wait patiently until the end of days.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.