🔗 Share this article The Dominik Diamond Personal Game of the Year Awards for The Past Year So, how did you experience this year in your home? Could it be described as truly wonderful as one might claim on online? Packed with academic success for the children and riotous themed fancy dress birthday parties for the adults? Or perhaps it was a ocean of letdowns with only occasional entertaining flotsam? Could any part be authentic, or is everyone now AI-generated virtual entities with perfect dental work? I've corralled the family together, whether they wanted to or not, to discuss the paramount thing in any given year: which video games we were obsessed with the most. Without further ado: Title Oldest Daughter Played the Most Horizon Zero Dawn "Is it impossible to pick just one?" "This isn't my definitive list." In the mobile realm, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "attempting to locate adequate healthcare." "In the game?" "In reality." Game Middle Son Played the Most Overwatch "I don’t play games on my phone." He took umbrage that I suggested it. I respect that. Release Third Daughter Played the Most Resident Evil Biohazard She is trying to get into acting, but when she took a break from vocals, she was playing Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her character has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her big sister has in the real world. Game the Spouse Played the Most Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time She began the year at sixty percent completion and finished the year at eighty-two percent. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. Her phone game: 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 set about him like a cross between a persistent critic. When he objects, I reply that I am behaving this way 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 This Year Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024 It wasn't even close for this one. She is unstoppable. Superior than I was at classic rhythm games in my prime. Game I Played the Most Marvel Snap Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted strategy competitive game, with its ever-changing range of cards and game variations. Title I Wish I Had Played Less Marvel Snap The worst thing about games that endlessly add to their range is you wake up one day and understand it is all just an attempt to lure you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it was deleted. Title I Wish I Had Played More Doom: The Dark Ages Stunning reinvention of a classic franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the off. I wish I could dispatch my problems so effectively in real life. Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition) Blue Prince I refuse to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just was short on the focused attention to give it what it deserved earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the early morning after family time. Game That Kept Me Sane When I Needed It Balatro I acknowledge Balatro was the previous year's breakout game, but I was late to it. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. The core concept is a wonderful concept, but the effects behind the different joker cards are so inventive it has become a game I could play any time. Combine that with the cleverness of the card design, and this is an absolute pinnacle of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a small space 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 wrote about how a technical issue in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a gargantuan gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I recognized even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the commenter who took the time to write in to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I mention that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and they are obviously an excellent judge of character. Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get Hollow Knight: Silksong Fine. Give me a punishingly tough non-linear thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". Great fun. I get that it is beautiful and is perfection if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I am less interested in in my current stage of life. I was around back when most games were like this, and I'm over it. It was acceptable when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many questionable things. Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025 Toss-up between questionable alliances that sparked debate, and expensive game releases. Both morally indefensible and concerning. Games I Would Name My Children After, Were I I Was Ever Crazy Enough to Have More Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique names shouted from the back door at bedtime. 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 doomscrolling, 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.