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Well, how did you experience the past year in your home? Was it truly wonderful as you pretended on online? Packed with academic success for your offspring and wild costume celebrations for the adults? Or was it a sea of letdowns with only occasional enjoyable moments? Is any of this actually real, or is everyone now digitally altered virtual entities with unrealistic smiles?

I have gathered the family together, whether they wanted to or not, to debate the crucial thing in a calendar year: what titles we enjoyed the most. So here goes:

Release Eldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"You can't expect my definitive list."

On her phone, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "trying to find adequate healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In the actual world."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in games on my phone." He took umbrage that I suggested it. Point taken.

Game Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was playing Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her avatar has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her eldest sister has in the real world.

Title the Partner Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at sixty percent completion and ended it at 82%. 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.

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 relentless heckler. When he protests, I reply that I am doing this to prepare him so he can be a man and play games for mature audiences. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member This Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner 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 strategy competitive game, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that frequently update their range is you eventually realize and realise it is all just an attempt to suck you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Excellent reinvention of a legendary franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the off. I wish I could eviscerate my problems so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this stunning, original game and I just lacked the focused attention to give it what it needed 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'm aware Balatro was 2024’s sleeper hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is remarkable. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a wonderful concept, but the abilities behind the different special cards are so inventive it has become a game I would happily play any time. Add in the wittiness of the card design, and this is an definite peak of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a small space for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Title I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a minor pile-on when I critiqued how a specific bug in another game ruined the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I recognized even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the commenter who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I mention that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and they are obviously an sharp judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a punishingly tough Metroidvania-esque thing and provide little 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 am less interested in in my mid-fifties. I was around back when many games were like this, and I'm over it. It was okay when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Toss-up between corporate partnerships that sparked debate, and premium pricing. Both difficult to justify and repugnant.

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 garden at tea time.

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 aches like the mines of sulphur in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured 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.