🔗 Share this article

Well, how did you experience 2025 in your household? Did it seem truly wonderful as one might claim on social media? Overflowing with top marks for the kids and wild dress-up celebrations for the parents? Or perhaps it was a ocean of disappointment with only occasional enjoyable flotsam? And was any of it authentic, or is everyone now AI-generated synthetic personas with unrealistic dental work?

I've assembled everyone for a reflection, willing or unwilling, to discuss the most important thing in twelve months: which video games we were obsessed with the most. So here goes:

Game Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Horizon Zero Dawn

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"This isn't my games column."

Meanwhile, on mobile, she’s been playing Cityscapes and "attempting to locate adequate healthcare."

"In the game?"

"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. I respect that.

Game Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into theatre school, but when she took a break from vocals, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where her avatar has a thriving utopia with far better healthcare than her eldest sister has in real life.

Title the Spouse Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She began the year at 60% completion and ended it 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 extract 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 persistent critic. When he complains, I reply that I am doing this to toughen him up so he can mature and play games for mature audiences. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner for this one. She is unstoppable. Even better than I was at my peak gaming days in my prime.

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this remarkably well-crafted strategy competitive game, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The catch about games that endlessly add to their range is you eventually realize and see 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.

Game 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 eviscerate my demons 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 lacked the mental bandwidth to give it what it needed earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the early morning after evening drinks.

Title That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was last year's breakout game, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is remarkable. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a fantastic concept, but the abilities behind the different special cards are so inventive it has become a game I would happily play constantly. Throw in the charm of the card design, and this is an absolute pinnacle of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a small space for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.

Title I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a wave of criticism when I critiqued how a specific bug in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal 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 reader who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I share that as written, because I acknowledge the engagement, and they are obviously an excellent judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a bastard-hard non-linear thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". Great fun. I understand that it has great art and is flawless if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my mid-fifties. I was around back when all 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 Controversy of 2025

Close call between corporate partnerships that raised eyebrows, and premium pricing. Both morally indefensible 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 make interesting names bellowed from the doorstep at tea time.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. No joke. I don’t know if it’s because of button mashing or doomscrolling, but it aches like anything 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 stretch time until the end of days.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.