The Household Unofficial Video Game of the Year Awards for This Year

So, what did you think of the past year in your home? Could it be described as entirely positive as you pretended on social media? Overflowing with A-grades for the children and riotous dress-up celebrations for the grownups? Or perhaps it was a swamp of disappointment with only rare fun flotsam? Could any part be actually real, or are we all digitally altered synthetic personas with celebrity dental work?

I have gathered the family for a chat, ready or not, to debate the paramount thing in a calendar year: which video games we played the most. Let's get started:

Release Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Why can't you pick just one?"

"This isn't my definitive list."

Meanwhile, on mobile, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "attempting to locate reasonable healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In real life."

Release Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I refuse to play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I suggested it. I respect that.

Game Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

Her goal is to get into theatre school, but when she wasn’t singing, she was playing Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where the Shark has a successful utopia with far better healthcare than her older sibling has outside the game.

Title the Spouse Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

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

Game I Found Amusing That 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 objects, I reply that I am behaving this way to prepare him 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 a machine. Even better than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Game I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

It was in a league of its own to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted deck building competitive game, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that endlessly add to their range is you eventually realize and realise it is all just an attempt to suck you into compulsion-based microtransactions. So love turned to hate halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Glorious reinvention of a legendary franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the off. I wish I could deal with my issues so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)

Blue Prince

I decline to rush this stunning, original game and I just lacked the time or headspace to give it what it required earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I will be playing this in the late night 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 incredible. It just gets each element right. Its gameplay loop is a wonderful concept, but the effects behind the different wild cards are so creative it has become a game I literally would play constantly. Combine that with the charm of the card design, and this is an absolute peak of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.

Title I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a wave of criticism when I wrote about how a technical issue in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I recognized even more after slogging through Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the individual who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I mention that as written, because I respect the passion, and he is obviously an excellent 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". What a joy. I get 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 I’ve had enough. It was acceptable when I was a kid, but so was many less comfortable things.

Biggest Gaming News of 2025

Debate between business deals that raised eyebrows, and expensive game releases. Both ethically dubious and unpleasant.

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

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique names bellowed from the doorstep at bedtime.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. Honestly. I don’t know if it’s because of video games or doomscrolling, but it is sore like anything 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 wait patiently until the heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.