Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their rankings of the best titles of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the failures? It's time to take a moment to examine the most panned games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Reviewer sentiment was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder reviews that noted the charming software itself. Despite the controversy, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland garnered pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in key areas, especially in a year filled with excellent racing games. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was better off left in the garage.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward colon usage is a minor strike against it. This compilation of 1990s-era platforming games revives a rude feline known for incessant jokes. Critics observed that these games were not good originally and have not improved with age. The notably positive user score stands as a peculiar oddity to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game was met with significant backlash from both professionals and fans. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a severe lack of features. Player sentiment was particularly vitriolic, with some voicing a wish that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. Reviewers felt that its attempt to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a substantial Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, finally released after years and years in production delays. The publishers opted to keep the game as an authentic artifact of its time, fully aware that today's audiences might dislike its dated design. As such, many reviews noted that the interesting history of its development was more compelling than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Common complaints were repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the tense surgery games of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the emergency response sections to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a dull series of simple minigames that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a major GTA-style title from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, dull missions, and a host of technical problems. Critics found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the same genre. Despite the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of fans found fun in the experience, offering a distinct contrast.
