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Well, how was 2025 in your family? Was it all as good as people post on social media? Overflowing with academic success for the kids and elaborate themed fancy dress gatherings for the grownups? Or perhaps it was a sea of disappointment with only sporadic fun flotsam? Is any of this authentic, or are we all AI-generated synthetic personas with perfect smiles?

I've corralled the family for a chat, ready or not, to discuss the crucial thing in twelve months: which video games we played the most. Without further ado:

Release First Daughter Played the Most

Horizon Zero Dawn

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"This isn't my definitive list."

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

"Digitally?"

"In reality."

Game Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I don’t play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I even asked. Fair enough.

Game Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her character has a blooming utopia with significantly better healthcare than her eldest 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 ended it at 82%. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins.

Title I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Any time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I rib him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he protests, I reply that I am engaging in this to prepare him so he can be a man and play games for adults. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

It wasn't even close for this one. She is unstoppable. Even better than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

No other game compared to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted deck building wizard’s poker, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The worst thing about games that frequently update their range is you have a moment of clarity and understand it is all just an attempt to suck you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Game I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Excellent reinvention of a iconic franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the off. I wish I could dispatch my issues so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just was short on the time or headspace to give it what it needed earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I will be playing this in the early morning after appropriate hospitality.

Game That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was 2024’s sleeper hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is incredible. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a wonderful concept, but the abilities behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I literally would play constantly. Add in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an absolute high-water mark of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a broken-down lift for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Game I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I endured a bit of backlash when I mentioned how a specific bug in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I recognized even more after slogging through 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 "bitter, confused resentment". I present that in the exact way, because I appreciate the effort, and they are obviously an sharp judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Sure. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". How delightful. I acknowledge that it looks ace and is perfection 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 all games were like this, and I'm over it. It was fine when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Debate between corporate partnerships that caused concern, and expensive game releases. Both morally indefensible and unpleasant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all make interesting names called from the back door 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 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.