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Well, how did you experience the past year in your home? Could it be described as all as good as one might claim on social media? Overflowing with A-grades for the kids and wild dress-up celebrations for the parents? Maybe it felt like a sea of disappointment with only sporadic fun highlights? And was any of it authentic, or are we all digitally altered synthetic personas with celebrity dental work?

I've assembled everyone for a reflection, willing or unwilling, to reflect on the paramount thing in any given year: which video games we played the most. Let's get started:

Title First Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"It’s not my definitive list."

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

"Virtually?"

"In reality."

Game Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I suggested it. I respect that.

Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into drama school, but when she took a break from vocals, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her avatar has a blooming utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her older sibling has in real life.

Game the Partner Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at sixty percent completion and finished the year at eighty-two percent. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. Her mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins.

Release I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he protests, I reply that I am behaving this way to prepare him so he can mature and play games for grownups. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

There was no contest for this one. She is unstoppable. Even better than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

It was in a league of its own to the hours I spent on this remarkably well-crafted card game wizard’s poker, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.

Title 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 see it is all just an attempt to suck you into fear-of-missing-out driven 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 iconic franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the start. I wish I could deal with my problems 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 was short on 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 wee small hours after evening drinks.

Title That Saved My Soul 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 remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. Crazy Poker is a wonderful concept, but the effects behind the different special cards are so inventive it has become a game I could play at any hour. Throw in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an absolute pinnacle of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.

Game I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I received a bit of backlash when I critiqued how a glitch in another game ruined the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I valued even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the individual who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I mention that as written, because I respect the passion, and they are obviously an excellent 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 provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". How delightful. I acknowledge that it is beautiful and is flawless if you are into this kind of thing, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less in my mid-fifties. I was around back when all games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was acceptable when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many less comfortable things.

Biggest Gaming News of 2025

Close call between business deals that caused concern, and high launch costs. Both difficult to justify and unpleasant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names shouted from the doorstep at dinner time.

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 burns like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs protected back in the past.

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.