At every turn, gamers are eagerly sharing their selections of the best releases of 2025. Yet, where are the flops, the underperformers? It's time to take a few moments to examine the absolute worst games of the year, as determined by the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games as disappointing as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a complimentary title like some other console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder takes that noted the delightful software itself. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland was met with largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game was lacking in nearly every way, especially in a year featuring stellar racing experiences. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was best left in the garage.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the awkward punctuation is a silly point of contention. This collection of 1990s-era mascot platformers revives a rude feline known for constant hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well to begin with and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a peculiar oddity to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighter was met with harsh criticism from both critics and players. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a severe lack of features. Player sentiment was especially harsh, with some expressing a hope that the title's poor performance would have consequences for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Critics argued that its goal to channel a unique gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy series entry. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the past, seeing the light of day after years and years in development hell. The developers consciously chose to preserve the game as an authentic experience of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its resurrection was more interesting than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues centered on repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the strategic medical sims of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying collection of repetitive tasks that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a blockbuster open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of positive user reviews found something to enjoy in the experience, providing a distinct counterpoint.
