This Diamond Family Alternative Video Game of the Year Awards for The Past Year

Alright, how was 2025 in your household? Did it seem entirely positive as people post on online? Full of academic success for the kids and elaborate costume celebrations for the parents? Maybe it felt like a ocean of disappointment with only rare fun highlights? And was any of it actually real, or are we all digitally altered virtual entities with perfect smiles?

I've assembled the family for a reflection, ready or not, to discuss the crucial thing in any given year: which video games we were obsessed with the most. Let's get started:

Title Oldest Daughter Played the Most

Horizon Zero Dawn

"Is it impossible to pick just one?"

"It’s not my definitive list."

In the mobile realm, she's invested time in Cityscapes and "attempting to locate reasonable healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In the actual world."

Release Second Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in games on my phone." He took umbrage that the question was posed. Fair enough.

Title Youngest Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into acting, but when she took a break from vocals, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her achievements on The Sims, where her character has a successful utopia with far 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 sixty percent completion and ended it at 82%. She's in it for the long run not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins.

Release I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Any time I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a persistent critic. When he objects, I reply that I am engaging in this to build character so he can grow up and play games for grownups. This defines our Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Notable Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

She was the clear winner for this one. She is incredible. More impressive than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

No other game compared to the hours I spent on this exceptionally well-crafted deck building competitive game, with its regularly updated range of cards and game variations.

Title I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The catch about games that constantly evolve their range is you wake up one day 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 was deleted.

Title I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Excellent reinvention of a iconic franchise. Engrossing atmosphere from the start. 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'm unwilling to rush this gorgeous, distinctive game and I just was short on the time or headspace to give it what it required earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I will be playing this in the early morning after family time.

Title That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It

Balatro

I acknowledge Balatro was the previous year's sleeper hit, but I was late to it. And it is remarkable. It just gets absolutely everything right. The core concept is a fantastic concept, but the effects behind the different joker 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 absolute high-water mark of gaming. I fantasize about being stuck in a small space for hours just so I have the perfect excuse but play it.

Title I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I endured a minor pile-on when I wrote about how a specific bug in another game damaged 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 slogging through 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 "bitter, confused resentment". I share that in the exact way, because I appreciate the effort, and they are obviously an sharp judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Alright. Give me a punishingly tough non-linear thing and don’t tell me guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "explore". How delightful. I get that it has great art and is ideal if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I want less of in my current stage of life. I was around back when all 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 questionable things.

Biggest Gaming Scandal of 2025

Close call between questionable alliances that caused concern, and premium pricing. Both ethically dubious and concerning.

Games I Would Name My Children After, Were I I Was Ever Stupid Enough to Have More

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all make interesting names bellowed from the garden at dinner time.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. Seriously. I don’t know if it’s because of video games or phone use, but it aches 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 wait patiently until the heat death of the universe.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.