The Household Alternative Game of the Year List for 2025
Well, how did you experience the past year in your home? Could it be described as truly wonderful as one might claim on social media? Packed with academic success for your offspring and elaborate themed fancy dress gatherings for the parents? Maybe it felt like a swamp of letdowns with only sporadic enjoyable flotsam? And was any of it authentic, or is everyone now seven-fingered synthetic personas with perfect smiles?
I've assembled the family together, willing or unwilling, to discuss the crucial thing in any given year: what titles we enjoyed the most. Let's get started:
Release Oldest Daughter Played the Most
Just Dance 2024
"Can’t you pick just one?"
"It’s not my personal ranking."
In the mobile realm, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "attempting to locate decent healthcare."
"In the game?"
"In real life."
Release Middle Son Played the Most
Overwatch
"I refuse to play games on my phone." He took umbrage that I suggested it. I respect that.
Game Third 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 playing Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her avatar has a blooming utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her eldest sister has in real life.
Title the Partner Played the Most
Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time
She started the year at 60% completion and finished the year at 82%. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. Her phone game: something called Woodle, where you have to extract pins.
Release 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 classic comedy bit. When he objects, I reply that I am doing this to build character so he can mature and play games for adults. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.
Most Notable Gaming Family Member of the Year
Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024
There was no contest for this one. She is unstoppable. Even better 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 card game wizard’s poker, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.
Game 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 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
Glorious reinvention of a legendary franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the start. I wish I could deal with my issues so effectively in real life.
Title I Wish I Had Played More (Thoughtful Edition)
Blue Prince
I decline 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 family visits 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'm aware Balatro was the previous year's sleeper hit, but I was a late adopter. And it is incredible. It just gets each element right. Crazy Poker is a fantastic concept, but the powers behind the different joker cards are so creative it has become a game I literally would play any time. Combine that with the wittiness of the card design, and this is an absolute pinnacle of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.
Title I Got the Most Criticism For Criticising
Outer Worlds 2
I endured a wave of criticism when I critiqued how a technical issue in another game damaged the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I valued even more after slogging through 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 in the exact way, because I acknowledge the engagement, and they are obviously an astute judge of character.
Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Fine. Give me a brutally difficult non-linear thing and provide little guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". What a joy. I understand that it looks ace and is perfection if you are into the genre, 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 my patience is gone. It was okay when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many questionable things.
Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025
Toss-up between business deals that sparked debate, and expensive game releases. Both difficult to justify 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 be unique names shouted from the doorstep at bedtime.
Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming
Right Thumb Joint. No joke. I don’t know if it’s because of console gaming or doomscrolling, but it is sore like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs looked after back in the 90s.
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 cows come home.
Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036
The Witcher 4.
