The Household Personal Gaming of the Year Roundup for 2025
So, what did you think of 2025 in your family? Did it seem entirely positive as people post on Facebook? Packed with top marks for your offspring and riotous costume gatherings for the grownups? Maybe it felt like a ocean of disappointment with only occasional entertaining highlights? Is any of this actually real, or are we all AI-generated virtual entities with perfect teeth?
I have gathered my thoughts together, whether they wanted to or not, to debate the crucial thing in a calendar year: what titles we played the most. Let's get started:
Game First Daughter Played the Most
Horizon Zero Dawn
"Is it impossible to pick just one?"
"You can't expect my games column."
Meanwhile, on mobile, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "attempting to locate decent healthcare."
"Virtually?"
"In reality."
Title Second Son Played the Most
Overwatch
"I don’t play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I suggested it. I respect that.
Title Third 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 elaborated in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where the Shark has a blooming utopia with far better healthcare than her eldest sister has outside the game.
Title the Wife Played the Most
Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time
She began the year at sixty percent completion and finished the year at 82%. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins.
Release I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing
Minecraft
Any time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he objects, I reply that I am doing this to prepare him so he can be a man and play games for grownups. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.
Most Notable Gaming Family Member 2025
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
No other game compared to the hours I spent on this remarkably well-crafted deck building wizard’s poker, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.
Game I Wish I Had Played Less
Marvel Snap
The worst thing about games that constantly evolve 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 went into the bin.
Game I Wish I Had Played More
Doom: The Dark Ages
Excellent reinvention of a legendary franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the off. I wish I could dispatch my demons so effectively in real life.
Title I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)
Blue Prince
I'm unwilling to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just didn’t have 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 early morning after family time.
Title That Was a Lifesaver 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 exceptional. It just gets absolutely everything right. Crazy Poker is a fantastic concept, but the effects behind the different special cards are so imaginative it has become a game I would happily play at any hour. Add in the wittiness of the card design, and this is an true peak of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a small space 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 minor pile-on when I critiqued how a glitch in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I appreciated even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the reader who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I present that in the exact way, because I respect the passion, and she is obviously an sharp judge of character.
Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Fine. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". How delightful. I acknowledge that it looks ace and is flawless if you are into this kind of thing, 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 the same could be said for many outdated things.
Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025
Debate between business deals that raised eyebrows, and premium pricing. Both difficult to justify 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 called from the doorstep at tea time.
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 doomscrolling, but it burns like the mines of sulphur in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured 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 wait patiently until the end of days.
Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036
The Witcher 4.
