The Household Alternative Video Game of the Year List for 2025
Alright, how was 2025 in your household? Did it seem entirely positive as people post on Facebook? Full of top marks for the kids and riotous costume celebrations for the grownups? Maybe it felt like a sea of disappointment with only occasional enjoyable flotsam? Could any part be genuine, or is everyone now AI-generated virtual entities with perfect teeth?
I have gathered the family for a chat, willing or unwilling, to reflect on the most important thing in twelve months: which video games we enjoyed the most. Let's get started:
Game Eldest Daughter Played the Most
Just Dance 2024
"Why can't you pick just one?"
"You can't expect my games column."
On her phone, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "trying to find reasonable healthcare."
"Virtually?"
"In real life."
Release Second Son Played the Most
Overwatch
"I don’t play games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I even asked. Point taken.
Release Third Daughter Played the Most
Resident Evil Biohazard
Her goal is to get into acting, but when she wasn’t singing, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where her avatar has a blooming utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her eldest sister has in the real world.
Release the Wife Played the Most
Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time
She began the year at 60% completion and finished the year at eighty-two percent. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.
Release I Laughed at My Kids for Still Playing
Minecraft
Whenever I see my 21-year-old son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a relentless heckler. When he protests, I reply that I am behaving this way to build character so he can be a man and play games for adults. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.
Most Notable Gaming Family Member 2025
Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024
It wasn't even close for this one. She is a machine. Even better than I was at classic rhythm games in my prime.
Title I Played the Most
Marvel Snap
It was in a league of its own to the hours I spent on this remarkably well-crafted strategy competitive game, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.
Title I Wish I Had Played Less
Marvel Snap
The downside about games that frequently update their range is you wake up one day and realise it is all just an attempt to trap you with compulsion-based 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
Excellent reinvention of a classic franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the start. I wish I could dispatch my issues so effectively in real life.
Game I Wish I Had Played More (Puzzle-Focused Edition)
Blue Prince
I decline to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just lacked the mental bandwidth to give it what it required earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the wee small hours after evening drinks.
Title That Saved My Soul When I Needed It
Balatro
I'm aware Balatro was 2024’s breakout game, but I was a late adopter. And it is exceptional. It just gets every single thing right. Its gameplay loop is a brilliant concept, but the abilities behind the different wild cards are so creative it has become a game I would happily play any time. Combine that with the charm of the card design, and this is an true peak of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.
Title I Got the Most Backlash For Criticising
Outer Worlds 2
I experienced a minor pile-on when I critiqued how a technical issue in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I appreciated even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the commenter who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I present that as written, because I respect the passion, and he is obviously an astute judge of character.
Title Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Alright. Give me a brutally difficult exploration-focused thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". What a joy. I get that it looks ace and is ideal if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I am less interested in in my mid-fifties. I was around back when most games were like this, and I’ve had enough. It was okay when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many outdated things.
Biggest Gaming News of 2025
Toss-up between questionable alliances that caused concern, 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 make interesting names called 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 video games or doomscrolling, but it burns like the mines of sulphur in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured 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 stretch time until the heat death of the universe.
Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036
The Witcher 4.
