At every turn, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the greatest games of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a moment to honor the most panned games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this tech demo were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Reviewer sentiment spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to more generous appraisals that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. Despite the controversy, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "not just a racing game," this driving sim from Competition Company and Teyon received overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in key areas, notably in a year filled with stellar racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this disappointing sim was best left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the irritating colon usage is a silly strike against it. This anthology of 1990s-era Bubsy titles revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for incessant quips. Critics observed that these games were not good originally and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a baffling oddity to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game encountered significant backlash from both critics and the dedicated community. Issues included a small character selection and a severe lack of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was especially vitriolic, with some expressing a wish that the title's failure would be a warning for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the past, launched after years and years in production delays. The team behind it consciously chose to keep the game as an period-accurate experience of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its journey was more compelling than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues included bland enemy design, samey environments, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic surgery games of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the emergency response sections 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, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid collection of repetitive tasks that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a major open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, dull missions, and a host of technical problems. Several found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Amidst the scathing reviews, a small handful of optimistic players found fun in the experience, providing a rare vote of confidence.
