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Well, how did you experience 2025 in your household? Was it truly wonderful as one might claim on Facebook? Packed with A-grades for the kids and wild themed fancy dress gatherings for the grownups? Maybe it felt like a swamp of disappointment with only occasional enjoyable highlights? Is any of this genuine, or is everyone now digitally altered AI slop beings with perfect smiles?

I have gathered my thoughts for a reflection, willing or unwilling, to discuss the most important thing in a calendar year: which releases we played the most. Let's get started:

Release First Daughter Played the Most

Horizon Zero Dawn

"Why can't you pick just one?"

"It’s not my definitive list."

Meanwhile, on mobile, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "searching for adequate healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In real life."

Release Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I don’t play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that the question was posed. Point taken.

Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into theatre school, but when she wasn’t singing, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where her avatar has a blooming utopia with significantly better healthcare than her big sister has in real life.

Game the Partner Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She started the year at sixty percent completion and finished the year at eighty-two percent. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew 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 persistent critic. When he objects, I reply that I am doing this to prepare him so he can grow up and play games for mature audiences. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Impressive Gaming Family Member 2025

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

It wasn't even close for this one. She is incredible. More impressive than I was at my peak gaming days in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this remarkably well-crafted deck building competitive game, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The catch about games that constantly evolve their range is you have a moment of clarity and realise it is all just an attempt to lure you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it was deleted.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

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

Title I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)

Blue Prince

I decline to rush this stunning, original game and I just was short on the focused attention to give it what it required earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I will be playing this in the wee small hours after family time.

Title That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It

Balatro

I acknowledge Balatro was the previous year's breakout game, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is exceptional. It just gets absolutely everything right. Its gameplay loop is a wonderful concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I literally would play at any hour. Add in the charm of the card design, and this is an absolute peak of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a broken-down lift for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Game I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a wave of criticism when I critiqued how a technical issue in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a gargantuan gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I valued even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the commenter who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I mention that verbatim, because I respect the passion, and he is obviously an sharp judge of character.

Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". What a joy. I acknowledge that it looks ace and is ideal 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 many 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 less comfortable things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Close call between business deals that raised eyebrows, and high launch costs. Both difficult to justify 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 sound good names shouted from the garden at dinner time.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. Honestly. I don’t know if it’s because of console gaming or endless scrolling, but it burns like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured 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 make 2026 last until the cows come home.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.