🔗 Share this article This Household Unofficial Video Game of the Year Roundup for 2025 Well, what did you think of this year in your home? Did it seem entirely positive as one might claim on Facebook? Full of academic success for the kids and elaborate themed fancy dress birthday parties for the parents? Or perhaps it was a sea of letdowns with only occasional entertaining flotsam? Could any part be authentic, or is everyone now digitally altered AI slop beings with perfect smiles? I have gathered my thoughts together, whether they wanted to or not, to debate the most important thing in twelve months: what titles we played the most. Without further ado: Release Oldest Daughter Played the Most Just Dance 2024 "Can’t you pick just one?" "This isn't my definitive list." On her phone, she’s been playing Cityscapes and "searching for decent healthcare." "In the game?" "In real life." Release Second Son Played the Most Overwatch "I don’t play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that the question was posed. Point taken. Release Youngest 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 spoke at length in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where the Shark has a successful utopia with significantly better healthcare than her older sibling has in real life. Title the Partner Played the Most Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time She began the year at sixty percent completion and ended it at eighty-two percent. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. Her phone game: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins. Game 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 persistent critic. When he objects, I reply that I am doing this to toughen him up so he can be a man and play games for adults. This defines our 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. More impressive than I was at my peak gaming days in my prime. Game I Played the Most Marvel Snap No other game compared to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted strategy digital pastime, 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 endlessly add to their range is you eventually realize and understand it is all just an attempt to suck you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it went into the bin. Game I Wish I Had Played More Doom: The Dark Ages Glorious reinvention of a legendary franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the start. I wish I could deal with my problems so effectively in real life. Title I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition) Blue Prince I decline to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just was short on the focused attention to give it what it needed earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the early morning after evening drinks. Title That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It Balatro I acknowledge Balatro was last year's surprise hit, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is incredible. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a fantastic concept, but the abilities behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I would happily play any time. Throw in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an absolute peak of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a broken-down lift for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it. Game I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising Outer Worlds 2 I received a minor pile-on when I critiqued how a technical issue in another game ruined the experience for me, but that other title is still a gargantuan gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I valued even more after experiencing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the reader who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I share that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and she is obviously an excellent judge of character. Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get Hollow Knight: Silksong Alright. Give me a brutally difficult Metroidvania-esque thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". Great fun. I acknowledge 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 current stage of life. I was around back when many 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 questionable things. Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025 Debate between questionable alliances that caused concern, and high launch costs. Both difficult to justify and concerning. Games I Would Name My Children After, If I Was Ever Stupid Enough to Have More Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names shouted from the back door at dinner time. Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming Right Thumb Joint. Honestly. I don’t know if it’s because of button mashing or phone use, but it burns like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after 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 wait patiently until the cows come home. Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036 The Witcher 4.