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Alright, how did you experience 2025 in your family? Did it seem all as good as one might claim on social media? Full of top marks for the kids and riotous costume gatherings for the grownups? Or perhaps it was a ocean of letdowns with only rare enjoyable highlights? Could any part be genuine, or are we all seven-fingered synthetic personas with perfect dental work?

I've assembled the family together, whether they wanted to or not, to discuss the crucial thing in any given year: which video games we played the most. Let's get started:

Game Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"This isn't my games column."

In the mobile realm, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "searching for adequate healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In the actual world."

Title Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He took umbrage that the question was posed. Point taken.

Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into theatre school, but when she wasn’t singing, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where the Shark has a successful utopia with far better healthcare than her big sister has in real life.

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 82%. It's a long haul not a sprint for her. Her mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.

Game I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Any time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he complains, I reply that I am engaging in this to prepare him so he can grow up and play games for adults. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Impressive 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 classic rhythm games in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

No other game compared to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted strategy competitive game, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that constantly evolve their range is you eventually realize and see it is all just an attempt to lure you into compulsion-based microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it went into the bin.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Excellent reinvention of a classic franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the beginning. I wish I could deal with my demons so effectively in real life.

Title I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I'm unwilling to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just lacked 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 early morning after family time.

Game That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was last year's breakout game, but I was late to it. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. The core concept is a wonderful concept, but the powers behind the different special cards are so inventive it has become a game I could play at any hour. 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.

Game I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I endured a bit of backlash when I critiqued 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 overall polish – which I recognized even more after experiencing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the commenter who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I mention that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and she is obviously an sharp judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". How delightful. I acknowledge that it is beautiful and is ideal if you are into this kind of thing, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less in my current stage of life. I was around back when most games were like this, and I'm over it. It was okay 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 morally indefensible and unpleasant.

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

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

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. Seriously. I don’t know if it’s because of console gaming or endless scrolling, 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 wait patiently until the end of days.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.