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So, how was 2025 in your family? Was it entirely positive as people post on online? Full of A-grades for your offspring and wild themed fancy dress celebrations for the grownups? Maybe it felt like a sea of letdowns with only rare entertaining moments? Is any of this actually real, or have we all become AI-generated synthetic personas with celebrity dental work?

I have gathered the family together, willing or unwilling, to debate the most important thing in any given year: which releases we were obsessed with the most. So here goes:

Title Eldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Why can't you pick just one?"

"It’s not my definitive list."

Meanwhile, on mobile, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "attempting to locate adequate healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In reality."

Release Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

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

Title Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into drama school, but when she wasn’t singing, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her avatar has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her big sister has in the real world.

Release the Spouse 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 long haul not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins.

Game I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he complains, I reply that I am doing this to prepare him so he can mature and play games for adults. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

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

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

No other game compared 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 catch about games that endlessly add to their range is you have a moment of clarity and realise it is all just an attempt to trap you with compulsion-based microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it was deleted.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Glorious reinvention of a legendary franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the off. I wish I could dispatch my issues so effectively in real life.

Title I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just didn’t have the time or headspace to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I plan to dive into 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 sleeper hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is incredible. It just gets each element right. Crazy Poker is a brilliant concept, but the effects behind the different wild cards are so inventive it has become a game I would happily play constantly. Throw in the wittiness of the card design, and this is an true peak of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a broken-down lift for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Title I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I received a minor pile-on when I wrote about how a glitch in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I valued even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the commenter who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I present that in the exact way, because I respect the passion, and she is obviously an sharp judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a brutally difficult non-linear thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". How delightful. I acknowledge that it looks ace and is perfection if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my adulthood. I was around back when many 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 Scandal of 2025

Close call between questionable alliances that raised eyebrows, and expensive game releases. Both difficult to justify and repugnant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique 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 button mashing or endless scrolling, but it burns like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured back in the day.

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 cows come home.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.