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Well, how did you experience the past year in your household? Was it all as good as people post on Facebook? Packed with top marks for your offspring and elaborate costume celebrations for the parents? Or perhaps it was a ocean of letdowns with only occasional fun flotsam? And was any of it genuine, or are we all AI-generated synthetic personas with celebrity teeth?

I've assembled everyone together, whether they wanted to or not, to reflect on the most important thing in twelve months: which video games we played the most. Without further ado:

Game Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Why can't you pick just one?"

"This isn't my games column."

On her phone, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "searching for reasonable healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In real life."

Game Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He took umbrage that the question was posed. Point taken.

Release Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into acting, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was playing Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her avatar 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 began the year at 60% completion and ended it at 82%. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. Her phone game: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins.

Release I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I rib him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he protests, I reply that I am engaging in this to prepare him so he can mature and play games for adults. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Skilled Gaming Family Member This Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner for this one. She is a machine. Even better than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this remarkably well-crafted strategy competitive game, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that endlessly add to their range is you wake up one day and realise it is all just an attempt to suck you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

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

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)

Blue Prince

I'm unwilling to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just was short on the focused attention to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the wee small hours after evening drinks.

Title That Saved My Soul When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was the previous year's surprise hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. The core concept is a brilliant concept, but the abilities behind the different joker cards are so inventive it has become a game I literally would play at any hour. 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 small space for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.

Game I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I endured a minor pile-on when I mentioned how a glitch 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 recognized even more after slogging through 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 "poorly reasoned". I share that in the exact way, because I respect the passion, and they are obviously an excellent judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a punishingly tough non-linear 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 ideal if you are into this kind of thing, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less in my adulthood. I was around back when most games were like this, and I'm over it. It was acceptable when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Close call between corporate partnerships that raised eyebrows, and high launch costs. Both difficult to justify and repugnant.

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 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 burns like hellfire 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 stretch time until the cows come home.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.