At every turn, fans are quick to share their selections of the top releases of 2025. Yet, where are the disasters, the underperformers? Let's take a momentary detour to honor the absolute worst games of the year, as determined by the critical consensus on Metacritic. Is every one of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 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 free pack-in like similar console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to somewhat forgiving appraisals that praised the delightful software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this simulation from studios in Germany and Poland garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in almost every category, notably in a year packed with stellar racing titles. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was best left unplayed.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the awkward punctuation is a silly annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era mascot platformers showcases a sarcastic feline known for incessant jokes. Reviewers noted that these games were mediocre originally and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score stands as a curious oddity to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based brawler encountered harsh criticism from both reviewers and players. Complaints centered on a thin roster of characters and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was notably vitriolic, with some voicing a wish that the title's failure would be a warning for the developers.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering Dogoos. The assessment was that its goal to mimic a unique feel didn't land, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful series entry. Its 3-hour duration 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 Xbox era, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in development hell. The publishers opted to preserve the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, fully aware that today's audiences might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its development was more compelling than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Common complaints included bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the character's attire was widely panned and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the engaging surgery games of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying assortment of basic activities that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to label 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 major open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews universally panned its lousy combat, dull missions, and a plethora of technical problems. Several found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the similar style. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of fans found fun in the experience, serving as a rare contrast.
