Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their rankings of the best releases of 2025. Yet, where are the disasters, the underperformers? Let's take a few moments to honor the most panned games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games as disappointing as the reviews suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this tech demo were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a complimentary title like some other console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder appraisals that highlighted the charming software underneath the controversy. Despite the controversy, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon was met with largely negative reviews. Critics noted that the game fell short in almost every category, especially in a year featuring excellent racing experiences. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating colon usage is a minor strike against it. This anthology of 1990s-era mascot platformers features a sarcastic feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were mediocre in their time and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score stands as a peculiar oddity to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game faced harsh criticism from both professionals and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a small roster of characters and a severe lack of content. User reviews was especially vitriolic, with some expressing a hope that the title's poor performance would have consequences for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
A part of the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with rounding up cute monsters. The assessment was that its effort to mimic a unique experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its 3-hour duration combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the past, launched after a very long time in legal limbo. The developers consciously chose to release the game as an period-accurate product of its time, acknowledging that contemporary players might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its journey was more interesting than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues centered on bland enemy design, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the outfit degradation was universally disliked and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the strategic surgery games of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying assortment of basic activities that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a blockbuster open-world action game from a team featuring experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews savaged its weak action, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Amidst the scathing reviews, a tiny number of optimistic players found fun in the experience, offering a lonely vote of confidence.
