The Household Unofficial Video Game of the Year Roundup for This Year
So, how was the past year in your household? Could it be described as all as good as you pretended on social media? Full of academic success for the children and elaborate themed fancy dress gatherings for the parents? Maybe it felt like a sea of disappointment with only occasional fun flotsam? And was any of it genuine, or are we all seven-fingered AI slop beings with unrealistic teeth?
I've assembled everyone together, ready or not, to reflect on the paramount thing in a calendar year: which releases we played the most. Let's get started:
Game Oldest Daughter Played the Most
Horizon Zero Dawn
"Can’t you pick just one?"
"This isn't my games column."
Meanwhile, on mobile, she’s been playing Cityscapes and "searching for reasonable healthcare."
"Virtually?"
"In the actual world."
Title Middle Son Played the Most
Overwatch
"I refuse to play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that the question was posed. Point taken.
Title Youngest Daughter Played the Most
Resident Evil Biohazard
She's attempting to get into acting, but when she wasn’t singing, she was playing Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her avatar has a successful utopia with far better healthcare than her big sister has outside the game.
Game the Wife Played the Most
Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time
She began 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
Whenever I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he protests, I reply that I am engaging in this to toughen him up so he can mature and play games for grownups. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.
Most Notable Gaming Family Member This Year
Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024
She was the clear winner for this one. She is unstoppable. More impressive than I was at classic rhythm games in my prime.
Game I Played the Most
Marvel Snap
Nothing came close 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.
Game 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 trap you with fear-of-missing-out driven 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. Immersive atmosphere from the beginning. I wish I could eviscerate my problems so effectively in real life.
Title I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)
Blue Prince
I decline to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just lacked the time or headspace to give it what it required earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I will be playing this in the late night after family time.
Game That Saved My Soul When I Needed It
Balatro
I'm aware Balatro was last year's surprise hit, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. Crazy Poker is a wonderful concept, but the powers behind the different special cards are so creative it has become a game I could play any time. Throw in the wittiness of the card design, and this is an definite peak of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.
Title I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising
Outer Worlds 2
I endured a wave of criticism when I critiqued how a glitch in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of overall polish – which I valued even more after slogging through Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the individual who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I mention that in the exact way, because I appreciate the effort, and they are obviously an astute judge of character.
Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Fine. Give me a brutally difficult non-linear thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". Great fun. I understand that it is beautiful 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 all games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was okay when I was a kid, but so was many less comfortable things.
Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025
Close call between questionable alliances that sparked debate, and expensive game releases. Both difficult to justify and unpleasant.
Games I Would Name My Children After, Were I I Was Ever Crazy Enough to Have More
Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all make interesting names shouted from the back door at tea time.
Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming
Right Thumb Joint. No joke. I don’t know if it’s because of console gaming or phone use, but it aches 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 make 2026 last until the cows come home.
Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036
The Witcher 4.
