🔗 Share this article This Dominik Diamond Alternative Game of the Year Awards for The Past Year So, how was the past year in your family? Could it be described as entirely positive as people post on social media? Packed with A-grades for the children and wild dress-up gatherings for the parents? Or was it a swamp of letdowns with only rare entertaining flotsam? And was any of it actually real, or is everyone now seven-fingered virtual entities with perfect teeth? I have gathered everyone for a chat, whether they wanted to or not, to discuss the crucial thing in twelve months: which video games we enjoyed the most. Without further ado: Release Oldest Daughter Played the Most Just Dance 2024 "Can’t you pick just one?" "This isn't my personal ranking." On her phone, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "searching for reasonable healthcare." "Virtually?" "In reality." Release Second Son Played the Most Overwatch "I don’t play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I suggested it. Point taken. Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most Resident Evil Biohazard She's attempting to get into acting, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her character has a blooming utopia with far better healthcare than her eldest sister has in the real world. 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%. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins. Title I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing Minecraft Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a persistent critic. When he objects, I reply that I am engaging in this to toughen him up so he can be a man and play games for mature audiences. 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 my peak gaming days in my prime. Game I Played the Most Marvel Snap Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted deck building digital pastime, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations. Title I Wish I Had Played Less Marvel Snap The worst thing about games that constantly evolve their range is you wake up one day and realise it is all just an attempt to lure you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it went into the bin. Title 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 eviscerate my problems so effectively in real life. Title I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition) Blue Prince I refuse to rush this stunning, original game and I just lacked the focused attention to give it what it needed earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the wee small hours after family time. Title That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It Balatro I acknowledge Balatro was 2024’s sleeper hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is remarkable. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a wonderful concept, but the abilities behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I literally would play at any hour. Combine that with the cleverness 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 the perfect excuse but play it. Game I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising Outer Worlds 2 I experienced a bit of backlash when I mentioned how a technical issue in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I valued even more after slogging through Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the individual who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I mention that as written, because I acknowledge the engagement, and they are obviously an excellent judge of character. Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get Hollow Knight: Silksong Sure. Give me a bastard-hard non-linear thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". How delightful. I get that it has great art and is perfection if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my mid-fifties. I was around back when many games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was fine when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many questionable things. Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025 Debate between corporate partnerships that sparked debate, and high launch costs. Both difficult to justify and repugnant. Games I Would Name My Children After, If I Was Ever Foolish 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. No joke. I don’t know if it’s because of button mashing or endless scrolling, but it is sore like the mines of sulphur in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs protected 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.