🔗 Share this article

Well, how was 2025 in your household? Could it be described as entirely positive as you pretended on online? Full of academic success for your offspring and wild themed fancy dress celebrations for the parents? Maybe it felt like a sea of letdowns with only sporadic entertaining moments? Is any of this actually real, or is everyone now AI-generated AI slop beings with unrealistic dental work?

I've assembled the family for a reflection, whether they wanted to or not, to reflect on the paramount thing in a calendar year: which video games we were obsessed with the most. Let's get started:

Release First Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"You can't expect my definitive list."

Meanwhile, on mobile, she’s been playing Cityscapes and "searching for adequate healthcare."

"Virtually?"

"In reality."

Release Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in games on my phone." He took umbrage that the question was posed. Fair enough.

Game 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 spoke at length in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where her character has a successful utopia with far better healthcare than her big sister has outside the game.

Release the Spouse Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at 60% completion and finished the year at 82%. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. Her mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.

Game I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I rib him like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he complains, I reply that I am behaving this way 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. More impressive than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted deck building competitive game, with its constantly evolving 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 lure you into 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

Stunning reinvention of a classic franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the beginning. I wish I could dispatch my problems so effectively in real life.

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

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just lacked the focused attention to give it what it required earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the late night after family time.

Title That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was last year's breakout game, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is exceptional. It just gets every single thing right. Its gameplay loop is a wonderful concept, but the abilities behind the different joker cards are so inventive it has become a game I would happily play constantly. Combine that with the cleverness of the card design, and this is an true high-water mark of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a small space for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.

Game I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a wave of criticism when I critiqued how a specific bug in another game ruined the experience for me, but that other title is still a gargantuan gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I recognized even more after experiencing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the individual who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I share that as written, because I appreciate the effort, and they are obviously an astute judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a brutally difficult non-linear 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 has great art and is ideal 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 all games were like this, and I'm over it. It was okay when I was a kid, but so was many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Toss-up between questionable alliances that caused concern, and expensive game releases. Both morally indefensible 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 make interesting names shouted from the garden 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 video games 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 make 2026 last until the end of days.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.