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Well, how did you experience the past year in your household? Could it be described as truly wonderful as you pretended on online? Overflowing with academic success for your offspring and riotous themed fancy dress gatherings for the adults? Or was it a ocean of frustration with only occasional entertaining moments? Is any of this genuine, or have we all become digitally altered AI slop beings with perfect smiles?

I have gathered my thoughts together, ready or not, to discuss the crucial thing in twelve months: what titles we played the most. Without further ado:

Title Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Horizon Zero Dawn

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"It’s not my games column."

On her phone, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "searching for reasonable healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In the actual world."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

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

Release Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into acting, but when she took a break from vocals, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her avatar has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her older sibling has outside the game.

Title 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 long haul not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.

Release I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he protests, I reply that I am doing this to build character so he can grow up and play games for adults. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

It wasn't even close for this one. She is unstoppable. More impressive than I was at classic rhythm games in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

No other game compared to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted deck building digital pastime, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that frequently update their range is you have a moment of clarity and realise it is all just an attempt to lure you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it went into the bin.

Game I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Stunning reinvention of a iconic franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the beginning. I wish I could eviscerate my issues so effectively in real life.

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

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just lacked the mental bandwidth to give it what it needed earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the late night after appropriate hospitality.

Game That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It

Balatro

I acknowledge Balatro was 2024’s sleeper hit, but I was late to it. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. Crazy Poker is a brilliant concept, but the abilities behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I would happily play any time. Throw in the charm of the card design, and this is an true pinnacle of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.

Game I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a bit of backlash when I mentioned 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 overall polish – which I recognized even more after experiencing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the commenter who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I present that in the exact way, because I acknowledge the engagement, and he is obviously an sharp judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Fine. Give me a bastard-hard exploration-focused thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". How delightful. I understand that it looks ace and is perfection if you are into this kind of thing, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my adulthood. I was around back when most games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was fine when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

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

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names bellowed from the doorstep at tea 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 phone use, but it is sore like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after 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 stretch time until the cows come home.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.