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So, how was 2025 in your family? Did it seem truly wonderful as people post on online? Packed with top marks for your offspring and riotous costume gatherings for the adults? Or was it a sea of letdowns with only rare fun flotsam? Is any of this actually real, or is everyone now digitally altered virtual entities with celebrity smiles?

I've corralled my thoughts together, whether they wanted to or not, to reflect on the paramount thing in any given year: what titles we were obsessed with the most. Let's get started:

Title Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"It’s not my personal ranking."

On her phone, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "attempting to locate decent healthcare."

"Virtually?"

"In the actual world."

Title Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I don’t play games on my phone." He was offended that the question was posed. Fair enough.

Title Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She's attempting to get into acting, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was playing Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where the Shark has a successful utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her big sister has in real life.

Game the Spouse 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 unscrew pins.

Game I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he objects, I reply that I am engaging in this to toughen him up so he can mature and play games for mature audiences. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

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

Title 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 downside about games that frequently update their range is you eventually realize and realise it is all just an attempt to suck you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So enjoyment soured 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 legendary franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the off. I wish I could dispatch my issues so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I decline to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just didn’t have the focused attention to give it what it required earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the early morning after evening drinks.

Title That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was 2024’s surprise hit, but I was late to it. And it is incredible. It just gets every single thing right. The core concept is a brilliant concept, but the effects behind the different joker cards are so creative it has become a game I could play constantly. Throw in the charm of the card design, and this is an definite high-water mark of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Game I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a bit of backlash when I critiqued 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 playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the individual who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I present that verbatim, because I respect the passion, and they are obviously an astute judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a punishingly tough Metroidvania-esque thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". Great fun. I acknowledge that it looks ace and is flawless if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less in my current stage of life. I was around back when most games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was okay when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Toss-up between business deals that caused concern, and premium pricing. Both difficult to justify and unpleasant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names shouted from the garden 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 endless scrolling, but it burns like the mines of sulphur in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after back in the 90s.

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.