Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their lists of the top titles of 2025. Yet, where are the flops, the underperformers? It's time to take a few moments to honor the absolute worst games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Let's find out.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a complimentary title like similar console launches. Critical opinion varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder appraisals that highlighted the charming software underneath the controversy. Despite the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "beyond a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon was met with overwhelmingly poor reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in almost every category, especially in a year featuring stellar racing games. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was best left unplayed.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the irritating punctuation is a notable point of contention. This compilation of retro mascot platformers revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for incessant jokes. 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 curious contrast to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired brawler encountered harsh criticism from both professionals and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a small fighter lineup and a severe lack of content. Player sentiment was especially harsh, with some voicing a hope that the title's flop would be a warning for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting Dogoos. Critics argued that its effort to mimic a unique feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy series entry. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the mid-2000s, launched after nearly two decades in production delays. The team behind it made the decision to release the game as an authentic artifact of its time, fully aware that contemporary players might criticize its retro feel. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its resurrection was more interesting than the actual gameplay.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues included repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a snoozy narrative. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the tense surgery games of the past, then remove the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the treatment of serious themes was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a dull assortment of basic activities that rapidly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a high-profile open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, boring plot, and a plethora of technical problems. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to much older games in the action genre. Amidst the scathing reviews, a tiny number of positive user reviews found value in the experience, serving as a lonely vote of confidence.
