So, what did you think of the past year in your home? Was it all as good as one might claim on Facebook? Full of academic success for the kids and elaborate themed fancy dress birthday parties for the adults? Or was it a swamp of letdowns with only sporadic entertaining moments? And was any of it actually real, or is everyone now digitally altered AI slop beings with unrealistic teeth?
I've assembled my thoughts for a reflection, whether they wanted to or not, to debate the most important thing in twelve months: what titles we enjoyed the most. So here goes:
Horizon Zero Dawn
"Can’t you pick just one?"
"It’s not my games column."
On her phone, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "attempting to locate adequate healthcare."
"In the game?"
"In reality."
Overwatch
"I have no interest in games on my phone." He seemed insulted that I even asked. I respect that.
Resident Evil Biohazard
She is trying to get into acting, but when she wasn’t singing, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also went on in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where the Shark has a blooming utopia with far better healthcare than her eldest sister has in real life.
Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time
She started the year at 60% completion and ended it 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 extract pins.
Minecraft
Any time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between a persistent critic. When he protests, I reply that I am engaging in this to toughen him up so he can mature and play games for grownups. It's a classic Scottish father/son relationship.
Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024
It wasn't even close for this one. She is incredible. Superior than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.
Marvel Snap
No other game compared to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted strategy wizard’s poker, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.
Marvel Snap
The catch 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 affection became resentment halfway through the year and it went into the bin.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Stunning reinvention of a iconic franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the off. I wish I could dispatch my problems so effectively in real life.
Blue Prince
I decline to rush this stunning, original game and I just didn’t have the mental bandwidth to give it what it needed earlier this year. With family visits over the festive period, I will be playing this in the late night after family time.
Balatro
I'm aware Balatro was the previous year's surprise hit, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. Crazy Poker is a fantastic concept, but the effects behind the different joker cards are so imaginative it has become a game I literally would play any time. Throw in the charm of the card design, and this is an true high-water mark of gaming. I wouldn't mind being stuck in a broken-down lift for hours just so I have an opportunity but play it.
Outer Worlds 2
I experienced a wave of criticism when I wrote about how a technical issue in another game ruined the experience for me, but that other title is still a colossal gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I recognized even more after playing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the individual who took the time to send a message to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "missing the point". I share that verbatim, because I appreciate the effort, and she is obviously an excellent judge of character.
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 "look around". Great fun. I understand that it looks ace and is perfection if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I am less interested in in my mid-fifties. 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 less comfortable things.
Debate between questionable alliances that raised eyebrows, and expensive game releases. Both ethically dubious and concerning.
Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all make interesting names shouted from the garden at bedtime.
Right Thumb Joint. Honestly. I don’t know if it’s because of video games or phone use, but it is sore like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured back in the day.
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.
The Witcher 4.
Elara is a seasoned writer and digital storyteller with a passion for exploring diverse literary genres and empowering others through words.
