The Dominik Diamond different recreation of the 12 months awards 2025

[ad_1] S o, how was 2025 on your family? Was it actually all pretty much as good as you pretended it was on Fb? Stuffed with A-grades for the children and riotous themed fancy costume birthday events for the grownups? Or was it a sea of disappointment with solely occasional enjoyable flotsam? And was any of it really actual, or are all of us now seven-fingered AI slop beings with Sydney Sweeney’s tooth?

I've gathered my ideas (and the Diamond family) collectively, whether or not they needed to or not, to replicate on a very powerful factor in any given 12 months: which video video games we loved probably the most. With out additional ado:

Sport eldest daughter performed probably the most: Simply Dance 2024/Horizon Zero Daybreak/Pikmin

“Can’t you choose only one?”

“It’s not my video games column.”

On her telephone, in the meantime, she’s been taking part in Cityscapes and “looking for first rate healthcare”.

“Within the recreation?”

“In actual life.”

Overwatch … respect. {Photograph}: MJB/Blizzard Sport center son performed probably the most: Overwatch“I don’t play video games on my telephone.” He was offended that I even requested him that query. I respect that.

Resident Evil Biohazard. {Photograph}: PR Firm Handout Sport youngest daughter performed probably the most: Resident Evil BiohazardShe is making an attempt to get into theatre college, however when she wasn’t singing, she was taking part in Resident Evil. She additionally went on in nice element about her achievements on The Sims, the place the Shark has a thriving utopia with infinitely higher healthcare than her huge sister has in actual life.

‘A marathon’ … Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time. {Photograph}: Activision Publishing Sport the spouse performed probably the most: Crash Bandicoot: It’s About TimeShe began the 12 months at 60% completion and ended it at 82%. It’s a marathon not a dash for her. On her telephone: one thing referred to as Woodle, the place it's important to unscrew pins.

By no means too outdated … Minecraft. {Photograph}: Microsoft Sport I laughed at my youngsters for nonetheless taking part in: MinecraftAny time I see my 21-year-old son taking part in Minecraft, I set about him like a cross between Steve Martin with that man within the pub in Roxanne, and Joe Pesci with Spider in Goodfellas. When he complains, I reply that I'm doing this to toughen him up so he could be a man and play video games for grownups. It’s a really Scottish father/son relationship.

A winner … Simply Dance 2024. {Photograph}: Ubisoft Most spectacular gaming member of the family 2025: Eldest daughter on Simply Dance 2024There was no contest for this one. She is a machine. Even higher than I used to be on the Treatment’s Lovecats on Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Sport I performed probably the most: Marvel SnapNothing got here near the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted deck constructing wizard’s poker, with its continuously evolving vary of playing cards and recreation variations.

‘Love turned to hate’… Marvel Snap. {Photograph}: Marvel Sport I want I had performed much less: Marvel SnapThe worst factor about video games that continuously evolve their vary of playing cards and variations is you get up sooner or later and realise it's all simply an try to suck you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So love turned to hate midway by way of the 12 months and it went into the bin.

‘A basic’ … Doom: The Darkish Ages. {Photograph}: Bethesda Sport I want I had performed extra: Doom: The Darkish AgesGlorious reinvention of a basic. Immersive ambiance from the off. I want I may eviscerate my demons so successfully in actual life.

‘Lovely and distinctive’ … Blue Prince. {Photograph}: Uncooked Fury Sport I want I had performed extra (cerebral version): Blue PrinceI refuse to hurry this lovely, distinctive recreation and I simply didn’t have the time or headspace to offer it what it deserved earlier this 12 months. My mom is staying with us over Christmas and the New 12 months, so I will likely be taking part in this within the wee small hours after I've prosecco’d her into oblivion.

‘The high-water mark of gaming’ … Balatro. {Photograph}: LocalThunk/Playstack Sport that saved my soul after I wanted It: BalatroI know Balatro was 2024’s breakout recreation, however I used to be late to it. And it's exceptional. It simply will get each single factor proper. Loopy Poker is an excellent idea, however the powers behind the completely different joker playing cards are so imaginative it has develop into a recreation I actually would play any time of the day or night time. Throw within the wittiness of the cardboard design, and that is an absolute high-water mark of gaming. I dream of being caught in a broken-down raise for hours simply so I've nothing to do however play it.

‘A gargantuan gaming achievement’ … Outer Worlds 2. {Photograph}: Obsidian Leisure Sport I acquired probably the most criticism for criticising: Outer Worlds 2I skilled a minor pile-on after I wrote about how the Paintress boss battle bug in Clair Obscur ruined the entire recreation for me, however it’s nonetheless a gargantuan gaming achievement by way of artwork, sound, performing, battle gameplay and ambition – which I appreciated much more after slogging by way of Outer Worlds 2. So thanks to the reader who took the time to electronic mail me personally, by way of my web site, to say that my Outer Worlds 2 assessment was “bitter, confused resentment as a result of YOU DON’T GET THE GAME OLD MAN and your son is an fool as properly sorry to tell you.” I current that within the actual means it was written, as a result of I admire the trouble, and he's clearly a wonderful decide of character the place my son is anxious.

‘Not a gaming expertise I would like in my mid-fifties’ … Hole Knight: Silksong. {Photograph}: Workforce Cherry Sport all people liked that I simply didn’t get: Hole Knight: SilksongSure. Give me a bastard-hard Metroidvania-esque factor and don’t inform me what I'm speculated to be doing, besides “discover”. Nice enjoyable. I get that it seems to be ace and is perfection if you're into this sort of factor, however I can not consider a gaming expertise I would like much less of in my mid-fifties. I used to be round again when all video games had been like this, and I’ve had sufficient. It was advantageous after I was a child, however so was polyester.

Largest gaming scandal of 2025: Toss-up between EA getting in mattress with Jared Kushner and the Saudis, and Outer Worlds 2 costing £70. Each morally indefensible and repugnant.

Clair Obscur. {Photograph}: Sandfall Interactive Video games I'd title my kids after, if I used to be ever silly sufficient to have extra: Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good bellowed from the doorstep at tea time.

A part of my physique that aches most from gaming: Proper thumb joint. Severely. I don’t know if it’s due to video video games or doomscrolling on my telephone, however it burns just like the mines of sulphur within the mornings now. I knew I ought to have gotten my thumbs insured again within the 90s.

Sport I'm wanting ahead to probably the most in 2026: GTA 6. And it'll come out in 2026, even when we've to make 2026 final till the warmth demise of the universe.