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Alright, how did you experience the past year in your home? Did it seem entirely positive as people post on online? Full of top marks for the children and wild themed fancy dress birthday parties for the grownups? Or perhaps it was a sea of frustration with only occasional enjoyable moments? Is any of this genuine, or are we all seven-fingered virtual entities with unrealistic teeth?

I have gathered the family for a reflection, ready or not, to reflect on the most important thing in a calendar year: which video games we played the most. Let's get started:

Release Eldest Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Why can't you pick just one?"

"You can't expect my games column."

In the mobile realm, she’s been playing Cityscapes and "trying to find decent healthcare."

"Virtually?"

"In real life."

Release Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I suggested it. Fair enough.

Title Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into acting, but when she took a break from vocals, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where her avatar has a successful utopia with significantly better healthcare than her big sister has in real life.

Release the Partner Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She began 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.

Release I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Any time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he complains, I reply that I am behaving this way to build character so he can be a man and play games for adults. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

It wasn't even close for this one. She is a machine. Superior than I was at my peak gaming days in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this remarkably well-crafted card game digital pastime, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The catch about games that constantly evolve their range is you wake up one day and understand it is all just an attempt to suck you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So love turned to hate halfway through the year and it went into the bin.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

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

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this stunning, original game and I just was short on the time or headspace to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the late night after evening drinks.

Game That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was 2024’s breakout game, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is exceptional. It just gets absolutely everything right. The core concept is a brilliant concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so creative it has become a game I could play constantly. Add in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an true pinnacle of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a small space 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 minor pile-on when I wrote about how a glitch 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 valued even more after slogging through Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the individual who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I share that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and he is obviously an sharp judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". Great fun. I get that it looks ace and is flawless if you are into this kind of thing, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my current stage of life. I was around back when many games were like this, and I’ve had enough. It was fine when I was a kid, but so was many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Debate between business deals that raised eyebrows, and premium pricing. Both difficult to justify and repugnant.

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 doorstep at bedtime.

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 phone use, but it aches like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured 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 make 2026 last until the heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.