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Alright, how was 2025 in your home? Could it be described as entirely positive as people post on online? Full of top marks for the kids and elaborate costume birthday parties for the grownups? Or perhaps it was a sea of letdowns with only occasional entertaining flotsam? And was any of it authentic, or are we all seven-fingered virtual entities with perfect dental work?

I've corralled my thoughts together, willing or unwilling, to debate the paramount thing in any given year: which releases we enjoyed the most. So here goes:

Release First Daughter Played the Most

Horizon Zero Dawn

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"It’s not my definitive list."

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

"Virtually?"

"In reality."

Game Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

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

Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She's attempting to get into acting, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where the Shark has a successful utopia with significantly better healthcare than her big sister has outside the game.

Release the Spouse Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at sixty percent completion and ended it at 82%. It's a long haul not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.

Game I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he objects, I reply that I am engaging in this to build character so he can grow up and play games for grownups. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member This Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

It wasn't even close for this one. She is a machine. More impressive than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

No other game compared to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted strategy competitive game, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The catch about games that endlessly add to their range is you have a moment of clarity and realise it is all just an attempt to trap you with fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it was deleted.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Glorious reinvention of a iconic franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the off. I wish I could eviscerate my demons so effectively in real life.

Title I Wish I Had Played More (Puzzle-Focused Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just didn’t have 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 Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was the previous year's breakout game, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. The core concept is a brilliant concept, but the abilities behind the different wild cards are so inventive it has become a game I would happily play any time. Throw in the charm of the card design, and this is an true high-water mark of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Game I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a wave of criticism when I mentioned 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 production values – which I appreciated even more after experiencing 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 "missing the point". I share that as written, because I acknowledge the engagement, and he is obviously an excellent judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Sure. Give me a bastard-hard exploration-focused thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". What a joy. I get that it has great art and is ideal if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my current stage of life. I was around back when all games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was acceptable when I was a kid, but so was many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Toss-up between questionable alliances that caused concern, and high launch costs. Both difficult to justify and concerning.

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 back door at bedtime.

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 phone use, but it is sore like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs protected 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 wait patiently until the end of days.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.