Our Household Alternative Game of the Year List for This Year
So, how did you experience the past year in your household? Could it be described as entirely positive as people post on social media? Full of academic success for the kids and riotous themed fancy dress gatherings for the grownups? Maybe it felt like a ocean of frustration with only sporadic enjoyable moments? Is any of this authentic, or have we all become digitally altered synthetic personas with celebrity dental work?
I've assembled everyone for a chat, willing or unwilling, to reflect on the most important thing in twelve months: what titles we enjoyed the most. Without further ado:
Title First Daughter Played the Most
Horizon Zero Dawn
"Why can't you pick just one?"
"It’s not my personal ranking."
Meanwhile, on mobile, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "trying to find decent healthcare."
"Digitally?"
"In reality."
Release Second Son Played the Most
Overwatch
"I don’t play games on my phone." He took umbrage that I even asked. I respect that.
Title Youngest Daughter Played the Most
Resident Evil Biohazard
Her goal is to get into theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her character has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her eldest sister has in real life.
Release the Spouse Played the Most
Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time
She began the year at sixty percent completion and ended it at 82%. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. Her mobile diversion: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.
Title I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing
Minecraft
Every time I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a persistent critic. When he complains, I reply that I am engaging in this to prepare him so he can be a man and play games for grownups. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.
Most Impressive Gaming Family Member 2025
Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024
There was no contest for this one. She is incredible. More impressive 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 exceptionally well-crafted card game digital pastime, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.
Game I Wish I Had Played Less
Marvel Snap
The downside about games that endlessly add to their range is you eventually realize and see it is all just an attempt to suck you into fear-of-missing-out driven microtransactions. So love turned to hate halfway through the year and it was deleted.
Title I Wish I Had Played More
Doom: The Dark Ages
Stunning reinvention of a iconic franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the off. I wish I could deal with my demons so effectively in real life.
Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition)
Blue Prince
I'm unwilling to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just was short on the mental bandwidth to give it what it required earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the late night after appropriate hospitality.
Title That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It
Balatro
I'm aware Balatro was the previous year's breakout game, but I was a late adopter. And it is remarkable. It just gets every single thing right. The core concept is a brilliant concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so creative it has become a game I could play constantly. Add in the wittiness of the card design, and this is an true peak of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.
Game I Got the Most Flak For Criticising
Outer Worlds 2
I endured a bit of backlash when I critiqued how a specific bug in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I recognized even more after experiencing 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 present that verbatim, because I respect the passion, and she is obviously an excellent judge of character.
Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Fine. Give me a punishingly tough non-linear thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". How delightful. I understand that it looks ace and is perfection if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I desire less in my mid-fifties. I was around back when all games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was fine when I was a kid, but so was many outdated things.
Biggest Gaming News of 2025
Close call between questionable alliances that caused concern, and expensive game releases. Both morally indefensible 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 sound good names called 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 video games or endless scrolling, but it aches like the mines of sulphur 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 wait patiently until the heat death of the universe.
Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036
The Witcher 4.
