Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their lists of the greatest releases of 2025. But what about the disasters, the low achievers? We'll take a moment to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Let's find out.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this tech demo were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a free pack-in like similar console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to somewhat forgiving reviews that praised the delightful software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this simulation from European developers was met with overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in nearly every way, notably in a year packed with stellar racing games. For many, this disappointing sim was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the awkward title grammar is a notable strike against it. This compilation of 1990s-era mascot platformers revives a rude feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well in their time and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a curious anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game faced significant backlash from both critics and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a small roster of characters and a severe lack of gameplay modes. User reviews was especially vitriolic, with some expressing a wish that the title's failure would have consequences for similar releases.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to recreate a unique gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a worthy series entry. Its short length combined with a full retail cost raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the past, launched after nearly two decades in production delays. The developers made the decision to preserve the game as an authentic product of its time, accepting that today's audiences might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its development was more interesting than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues were bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the outfit degradation was universally disliked and undermined the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the engaging medical sims of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a dull series of basic activities that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster crime saga from a studio led by experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a plethora of technical problems. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of optimistic players found value in the experience, providing a distinct counterpoint.
