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Alright, how was this year in your family? Did it seem truly wonderful as one might claim on online? Full of academic success for the children and elaborate costume birthday parties for the adults? Maybe it felt like a swamp of frustration with only rare fun moments? Could any part be genuine, or have we all become AI-generated synthetic personas with celebrity smiles?

I've corralled everyone for a chat, willing or unwilling, to reflect on the crucial thing in any given year: what titles we enjoyed the most. So here goes:

Release Eldest Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"It’s not my games column."

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

"Virtually?"

"In reality."

Title Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I don’t play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I even asked. I respect that.

Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into acting, but when she wasn’t singing, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where the Shark has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her eldest sister has in real life.

Release the Partner Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She began the year at sixty percent completion and ended it 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 unscrew pins.

Release 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 classic comedy bit. When he complains, I reply that I am doing this to build character so he can be a man and play games for grownups. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

There was no contest for this one. She is unstoppable. Superior than I was at classic rhythm games 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.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The worst thing about games that endlessly add to their range is you eventually realize and understand it is all just an attempt to lure you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So love turned to hate halfway through the year and it was deleted.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Glorious reinvention of a iconic franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the start. I wish I could dispatch my problems so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just didn’t have the time or headspace to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the wee small hours after family time.

Game That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was the previous year's surprise hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is incredible. It just gets every single thing right. The core concept is a wonderful concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I could play at any hour. Combine that with the cleverness of the card design, and this is an definite high-water mark of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.

Game I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a wave of criticism when I mentioned how a glitch in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a gargantuan gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I recognized even more after slogging through Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the individual who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I present that in the exact way, because I appreciate the effort, and they are obviously an excellent judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Sure. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". Great fun. I understand that it has great art and is perfection if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my adulthood. I was around back when most games were like this, and I’ve had enough. It was acceptable when I was a kid, but so was many less comfortable things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Close call between business deals that raised eyebrows, and high launch costs. Both difficult to justify 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 make interesting names called 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 doomscrolling, but it is sore like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured 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 make 2026 last until the heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.