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Alright, what did you think of this year in your family? Was it truly wonderful as you pretended on social media? Overflowing with academic success for your offspring and wild costume gatherings for the adults? Maybe it felt like a swamp of frustration with only rare entertaining highlights? And was any of it authentic, or have we all become digitally altered AI slop beings with celebrity teeth?

I have gathered my thoughts together, ready or not, to discuss the paramount thing in any given year: what titles we were obsessed with the most. Let's get started:

Title Eldest Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"You can't expect my personal ranking."

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

"Virtually?"

"In the actual world."

Release Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in 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 theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where the Shark has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her big sister has in the real world.

Release the Wife Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She began the year at 60% completion and ended it at eighty-two percent. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. Her mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins.

Title I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I rib him like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he protests, I reply that I am behaving this way to build character so he can grow up and play games for grownups. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Impressive Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

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

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

It was in a league of its own to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted strategy wizard’s poker, with its ever-changing 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 wake up one day and realise it is all just an attempt to suck you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Glorious reinvention of a legendary franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the start. I wish I could deal with my demons so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)

Blue Prince

I'm unwilling to rush this stunning, original game and I just was short on the focused attention to give it what it required earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the late night after appropriate hospitality.

Game That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was 2024’s surprise hit, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is incredible. It just gets absolutely everything right. Crazy Poker is a wonderful concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so inventive it has become a game I literally would play at any hour. Throw in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an true high-water mark of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.

Title I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I endured a wave of criticism when I wrote about 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 valued even more after experiencing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the commenter who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I share that as written, because I acknowledge the engagement, and he is obviously an astute judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a bastard-hard non-linear thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". What a joy. I acknowledge that it is beautiful and is perfection if you are into this kind of thing, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my mid-fifties. I was around back when many games were like this, and I’ve had enough. It was okay when I was a kid, but so was many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming News of 2025

Toss-up between business deals that caused concern, and premium pricing. Both ethically dubious and unpleasant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique names bellowed from the garden 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 console gaming or endless scrolling, but it is sore like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs protected 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 stretch time until the heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.