🔗 Share this article The Diamond Family Unofficial Video Game of the Year List for 2025 So, how was the past year in your household? Was it truly wonderful as you pretended on Facebook? Packed with A-grades for the kids and elaborate themed fancy dress birthday parties for the parents? Maybe it felt like a sea of frustration with only occasional entertaining flotsam? Is any of this genuine, or are we all digitally altered AI slop beings with perfect teeth? I've assembled my thoughts together, willing or unwilling, to discuss the crucial thing in a calendar year: which video games we enjoyed the most. Let's get started: Game Eldest Daughter Played the Most Just Dance 2024 "Can’t you pick just one?" "This isn't my games column." On her phone, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "trying to find decent healthcare." "Virtually?" "In reality." Game Second Son Played the Most Overwatch "I don’t play games on my phone." He took umbrage that the question was posed. Point taken. Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most Resident Evil Biohazard She is trying to get into drama school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where her avatar has a blooming utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her big sister has in real life. Release the Partner 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. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins. Release I Teased My Kids About My Kids for Still Playing Minecraft Every time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he complains, I reply that I am engaging in this to build character so he can grow up and play games for adults. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship. Most Skilled Gaming Family Member 2025 Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024 There was no contest 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 exceptionally well-crafted card game wizard’s poker, with its constantly evolving 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 eventually realize and see it is all just an attempt to lure you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So enjoyment soured halfway through the year and it got uninstalled. Game I Wish I Had Played More Doom: The Dark Ages Glorious reinvention of a legendary franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the off. I wish I could deal with my issues so effectively in real life. Game I Wish I Had Played More (Cerebral Edition) Blue Prince I refuse to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just didn’t have the time or headspace to give it what it needed earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I will be playing this in the late night after family time. Game That Saved My Soul When I Needed It Balatro I acknowledge Balatro was the previous year's surprise hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is remarkable. It just gets every single thing right. The core concept is a wonderful concept, but the abilities behind the different joker cards are so creative it has become a game I literally would play any time. Combine that with the cleverness of the card design, and this is an true high-water mark of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a small space for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it. Game I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising Outer Worlds 2 I received a minor pile-on when I wrote about how a glitch 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 commenter who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "bitter, confused resentment". I present that verbatim, because I respect the passion, and he is obviously an astute judge of character. Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get Hollow Knight: Silksong Sure. Give me a bastard-hard Metroidvania-esque thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". What a joy. I understand 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 adulthood. I was around back when most games were like this, and I’ve had enough. It was okay when I was a kid, but so was many questionable things. Biggest Gaming News of 2025 Toss-up between corporate partnerships that sparked debate, and expensive game releases. Both ethically dubious and unpleasant. Games I Would Name My Children After, If I Was Ever Foolish Enough to Have More Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names shouted from the doorstep at bedtime. 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 doomscrolling, but it burns like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after back in the day. 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.