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So, how was this year in your home? Did it seem truly wonderful as people post on online? Full of A-grades for the kids and wild themed fancy dress gatherings for the adults? Or perhaps it was a swamp of disappointment with only sporadic enjoyable highlights? And was any of it actually real, or are we all AI-generated AI slop beings with celebrity dental work?

I've assembled everyone for a chat, whether they wanted to or not, to debate the paramount thing in twelve months: what titles we were obsessed with the most. So here goes:

Title First Daughter Played the Most

Pikmin

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"It’s not my personal ranking."

On her phone, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "searching for decent healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In real life."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He took umbrage that I suggested it. Point taken.

Title Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She's attempting to get into theatre school, but when she wasn’t singing, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her avatar has a blooming utopia with significantly better healthcare than her older sibling has in the real world.

Title the Partner Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at 60% completion and ended it at 82%. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. Her mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.

Title I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he objects, I reply that I am doing this to prepare him so he can mature and play games for mature audiences. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

There was no contest for this one. She is unstoppable. More impressive than I was at my peak gaming days 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 digital pastime, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The worst thing about games that constantly evolve their range is you wake up one day and understand it is all just an attempt to trap you with fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it was deleted.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

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

Title I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I decline to rush this stunning, original game and I just didn’t have the mental bandwidth to give it what it needed earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I will be playing this in the early morning after family time.

Title That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was last year's sleeper hit, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. Its gameplay loop is a fantastic concept, but the effects behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I literally would play constantly. Combine that with the wittiness of the card design, and this is an true pinnacle of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a broken-down lift for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.

Title I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a bit of backlash when I wrote about how a specific bug in another game ruined the experience for me, but that other title is still a gargantuan gaming achievement in terms of overall polish – which I recognized even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the commenter who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I present that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and he is obviously an excellent judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a punishingly tough non-linear thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". How delightful. I understand that it is beautiful and is flawless if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less 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 Controversy of 2025

Toss-up between questionable alliances that raised eyebrows, and expensive game releases. Both ethically dubious and concerning.

Games I Would Name My Children After, If I Was Ever Stupid Enough to Have More

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique names bellowed from the garden at bedtime.

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 endless scrolling, but it burns like the mines of sulphur in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs protected 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 cows come home.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.