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Well, how was the past year in your home? Was it entirely positive as one might claim on Facebook? Overflowing with academic success for the children and wild costume celebrations for the parents? Or perhaps it was a swamp of letdowns with only rare entertaining flotsam? Could any part be genuine, or have we all become AI-generated AI slop beings with perfect dental work?

I've assembled my thoughts for a chat, ready or not, to debate the paramount thing in any given year: which releases we enjoyed the most. Without further ado:

Game Eldest Daughter Played the Most

Horizon Zero Dawn

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"It’s not my personal ranking."

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

"In the game?"

"In the actual world."

Release Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I don’t play games on my phone." He was offended that I even asked. Point taken.

Game Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into drama school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was playing Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her character has a blooming utopia with far better healthcare than her big sister has in real life.

Title the Spouse Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at 60% completion and finished the year at eighty-two percent. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. Her phone game: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins.

Game I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Any time I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he complains, I reply that I am engaging in this to build character so he can grow up and play games for grownups. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Impressive Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner 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 remarkably well-crafted deck building wizard’s poker, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The worst thing about games that constantly evolve their range is you eventually realize and see it is all just an attempt to trap you with fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So love turned to hate halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

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

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I'm unwilling to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just was short on the mental bandwidth to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the wee small hours after family time.

Title That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was the previous year's breakout game, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is remarkable. It just gets every single thing right. Its gameplay loop is a brilliant concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I would happily play at any hour. Throw in the wittiness of the card design, and this is an definite peak 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 received a minor pile-on when I critiqued how a technical issue in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I appreciated even more after slogging through Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the commenter who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I share that as written, because I appreciate the effort, and she is obviously an excellent judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. 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 get that it is beautiful and is perfection if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I am less interested in in my mid-fifties. I was around back when most games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was fine when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming News of 2025

Debate between corporate partnerships that caused concern, and high launch costs. Both difficult to justify and concerning.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names called from the garden at tea 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 doomscrolling, but it is sore like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after 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 wait patiently until the heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.