This Household Unofficial Game of the Year List for 2025
So, how was 2025 in your household? Was it all as good as people post on online? Packed with top marks for your offspring and wild dress-up birthday parties for the adults? Maybe it felt like a ocean of frustration with only occasional fun highlights? Is any of this actually real, or are we all AI-generated synthetic personas with unrealistic smiles?
I've assembled the family for a reflection, whether they wanted to or not, to reflect on the paramount thing in any given year: what titles we enjoyed the most. Without further ado:
Game Oldest Daughter Played the Most
Pikmin
"Can’t you pick just one?"
"You can't expect my personal ranking."
On her phone, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "searching for decent healthcare."
"Virtually?"
"In real life."
Game Second Son Played the Most
Overwatch
"I refuse to play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I even asked. Fair enough.
Game Third Daughter Played the Most
Resident Evil Biohazard
She's attempting to get into drama school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was playing Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her character has a successful utopia with far better healthcare than her big sister has in real life.
Title the Wife Played the Most
Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time
She started the year at sixty percent completion and ended it at eighty-two percent. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.
Release I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing
Minecraft
Any time I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I rib him 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 grownups. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.
Most Notable Gaming Family Member of the Year
Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024
It wasn't even close for this one. She is unstoppable. Even better than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix 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 competitive game, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.
Game I Wish I Had Played Less
Marvel Snap
The catch about games that endlessly add to their range is you have a moment of clarity and see it is all just an attempt to trap you with fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.
Title I Wish I Had Played More
Doom: The Dark Ages
Stunning reinvention of a classic franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the off. I wish I could eviscerate my problems so effectively in real life.
Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)
Blue Prince
I refuse to rush this stunning, original game and I just was short on the mental bandwidth to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the wee small hours after evening drinks.
Title That Saved My Soul When I Needed It
Balatro
I know Balatro was 2024’s breakout game, but I was late to it. And it is incredible. It just gets absolutely everything right. Its gameplay loop is a brilliant concept, but the abilities behind the different special cards are so creative it has become a game I could play at any hour. Add in the wittiness of the card design, and this is an definite pinnacle of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.
Game I Got the Most Flak For Criticising
Outer Worlds 2
I experienced a minor pile-on when I wrote about how a technical issue in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I valued even more after experiencing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the commenter who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I mention that as written, because I appreciate the effort, and he is obviously an sharp judge of character.
Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Sure. Give me a punishingly tough non-linear thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". What a joy. I understand that it is beautiful and is perfection 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 all games were like this, and I'm over it. It was okay when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many questionable things.
Biggest Gaming News of 2025
Close call between business deals that caused concern, and premium pricing. Both ethically dubious and unpleasant.
Games I Would Name My Children After, Were I I Was Ever Stupid Enough to Have More
Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all make interesting names shouted from the garden at bedtime.
Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming
Right Thumb Joint. Seriously. I don’t know if it’s because of console gaming or doomscrolling, but it aches like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured back in the past.
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 end of days.
Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036
The Witcher 4.
