At every turn, fans are quick to share their rankings of the best games of 2025. But what about the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a momentary detour to honor the most panned games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Professional assessment varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to somewhat forgiving takes that praised the polished software underneath the controversy. In spite of the debate, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "not just a racing game," this driving sim from Competition Company and Teyon received overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game fell short in almost every category, particularly in a year featuring excellent racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this disappointing sim was best left in the garage.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the confusing colon usage is a minor annoyance. This collection of 1990s-era mascot platformers features a rude feline known for incessant jokes. Reviewers noted that these games haven't aged well to begin with and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a curious oddity to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based brawler faced widespread disappointment from both professionals and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a thin roster of characters and a minimal offering of content. Player sentiment was particularly vitriolic, with some voicing a hope that the title's failure would be a warning for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. Critics argued that its goal to recreate a rolling-collection experience ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a worthy Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the mid-2000s, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The publishers consciously chose to keep the game as an period-accurate product of its time, accepting that today's audiences might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the fascinating story of its development was more compelling than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms included uninspired foes, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was universally disliked and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the strategic surgery games of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying assortment of simple minigames that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a major crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Many found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Amidst the sea of negativity, a tiny number of positive user reviews found value in the experience, serving as a lonely contrast.
