🔗 Share this article The Household Alternative Video Game of the Year Roundup for This Year So, how did you experience this year in your family? Did it seem all as good as you pretended on social media? Packed with academic success for the kids and elaborate themed fancy dress celebrations for the grownups? Or perhaps it was a swamp of disappointment with only sporadic enjoyable highlights? And was any of it authentic, or is everyone now digitally altered AI slop beings with perfect smiles? I have gathered the family together, whether they wanted to or not, to debate the paramount thing in twelve months: which video games we were obsessed with the most. Without further ado: Game First Daughter Played the Most Just Dance 2024 "Is it impossible to pick just one?" "This isn't my personal ranking." On her phone, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "trying to find reasonable healthcare." "Digitally?" "In real life." Game Middle Son Played the Most Overwatch "I don’t play games on my phone." He was offended that I suggested it. Point taken. Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most Resident Evil Biohazard She's attempting to get into theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her character has a blooming utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her eldest sister has outside the game. 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 82%. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. Her phone game: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins. Game I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing Minecraft Whenever I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I rib him like a cross between a persistent critic. When he complains, I reply that I am engaging in this to toughen him up so he can mature 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 a machine. Superior than I was at my peak gaming days in my prime. Title I Played the Most Marvel Snap Nothing came close to the hours I spent on this remarkably 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 have a moment of clarity and see it is all just an attempt to lure you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it was deleted. Game I Wish I Had Played More Doom: The Dark Ages Glorious reinvention of a classic franchise. Immersive 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 beautiful, unique game and I just lacked the focused attention to give it what it required earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I will be playing this in the early morning after appropriate hospitality. Game That Saved My Soul When I Needed It Balatro I know Balatro was last year's sleeper hit, but I was late to it. And it is remarkable. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a brilliant concept, but the powers behind the different wild cards are so imaginative it has become a game I could play any time. Combine that with the wittiness of the card design, and this is an definite high-water mark of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a small space for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it. Title I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising Outer Worlds 2 I endured a wave of criticism when I wrote about how a specific bug in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I valued even more after playing 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 mention that as written, because I respect the passion, 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 bastard-hard exploration-focused thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". How delightful. I get that it looks ace and is ideal if you are into this kind of thing, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of 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 Toss-up between business deals that sparked debate, and premium pricing. Both ethically dubious and concerning. Games I Would Name My Children After, If I Was Ever Crazy Enough to Have More Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique names bellowed from the garden at tea time. Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming Right Thumb Joint. Honestly. I don’t know if it’s because of console gaming or endless scrolling, but it is sore like hellfire 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 wait patiently until the heat death of the universe. Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036 The Witcher 4.