Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their selections of the best releases of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the low achievers? Let's take a moment to recognize the most panned games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, User 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 similar console launches. Professional assessment varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to more generous appraisals that highlighted the delightful software itself. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this simulation from European developers garnered largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game was lacking in key areas, especially in a year filled with stellar racing experiences. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was best left unplayed.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the awkward title grammar is a silly strike against it. This collection of 1990s-era Bubsy titles revives a sarcastic feline known for non-stop quips. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well to begin with and have not improved with age. The notably positive user score stands as a baffling contrast to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighter encountered harsh criticism from both professionals and players. Issues included a small fighter lineup and a minimal offering of content. Player sentiment was notably negative, with some stating a wish that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering cute monsters. The assessment was that its effort to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like experience ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a premium price was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the past, seeing the light of day after a very long time in legal limbo. The developers made the decision to keep the game as an original product of its time, fully aware that today's audiences might criticize its retro feel. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its development was more compelling than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Common complaints included repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the character's attire was widely panned and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic surgery games of the past, then remove the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a town-management title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying series of basic activities that rapidly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster crime saga from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, boring plot, and a plethora of technical problems. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to much older games in the similar style. Among the sea of negativity, a tiny number of positive user reviews found something to enjoy in the experience, providing a rare counterpoint.
