Our Dominik Diamond Unofficial Video Game of the Year Awards for This Year

Well, what did you think of 2025 in your household? Did it seem truly wonderful as you pretended on social media? Overflowing with top marks for your offspring and elaborate costume celebrations for the adults? Or was it a swamp of disappointment with only rare enjoyable flotsam? Could any part be actually real, or have we all become seven-fingered virtual entities with perfect teeth?

I have gathered everyone for a chat, ready or not, to debate the most important thing in a calendar year: which video games we played the most. Without further ado:

Game Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"You can't expect my games column."

On her phone, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "trying to find adequate healthcare."

"Digitally?"

"In reality."

Release Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I suggested it. Point taken.

Release Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into theatre school, but when she stepped away from the mic, she was tackling Resident Evil. She also elaborated in great detail about her accomplishments on The Sims, where the Shark has a successful utopia with significantly 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 60% completion and ended it at eighty-two percent. It’s a marathon not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to unscrew pins.

Title I Found Amusing That 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 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 mature audiences. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Impressive Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner for this one. She is a machine. More impressive 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 exceptionally well-crafted strategy digital pastime, with its constantly evolving 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 suck you into compulsion-based microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it was deleted.

Game I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Excellent reinvention of a iconic franchise. Immersive atmosphere from the beginning. I wish I could dispatch my problems so effectively in real life.

Game I Wish I Had Played More (Puzzle-Focused Edition)

Blue Prince

I'm unwilling to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just didn’t have the focused attention to give it what it required earlier this year. With holiday guests over the festive period, I plan to dive into this in the late night after family time.

Title That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It

Balatro

I'm aware Balatro was 2024’s surprise hit, but I was late to it. And it is exceptional. It just gets every single thing right. Crazy Poker is a fantastic concept, but the powers behind the different special cards are so creative it has become a game I literally would play constantly. Throw in the cleverness of the card design, and this is an true pinnacle 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 Criticism For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I experienced a bit of backlash when I critiqued how a specific bug in another game ruined the experience for me, but that other title is still a massive gaming achievement in terms of art, sound, acting – which I recognized even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So my appreciation goes out to the reader who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I share that verbatim, because I appreciate the effort, 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 Metroidvania-esque thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "figure it out". How delightful. I acknowledge that it has great art and is perfection if you are into the genre, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my current stage of life. I was around back when many games were like this, and my patience is gone. It was fine when I was a kid, but the same could be said for many less comfortable things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Close call between questionable alliances that sparked debate, and expensive game releases. Both morally indefensible and concerning.

Games I Would Name My Children After, If I Was Ever Foolish Enough to Have More

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all be unique names shouted from the doorstep at dinner time.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. No joke. I don’t know if it’s because of video games or phone use, but it is sore like anything in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured 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.