Across the internet, gamers are eagerly sharing their selections of the best games of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? We'll take a momentary detour to honor the most panned games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Could each 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 heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to more generous takes that praised the delightful software itself. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon received pretty unanimous reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in key areas, notably in a year featuring stellar racing titles. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was best left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating punctuation is a minor annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era Bubsy titles revives a rude feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were mediocre originally and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score remains a baffling oddity to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighter faced widespread disappointment from both professionals and players. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a severe lack of features. Fan reaction was especially vitriolic, with some stating a wish that the title's flop would be a warning for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its attempt to recreate a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a substantial addition to the franchise. Its 3-hour duration combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, launched after a very long time in development hell. The developers opted to preserve the game as an original artifact of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might criticize its retro feel. As such, many reviews noted that the interesting history of its resurrection was more interesting than the actual gameplay.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms included bland enemy design, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the strategic surgery games of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid assortment of basic activities that very soon became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a major crime saga from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews universally panned its weak action, boring plot, and a host of technical problems. Several found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a few of optimistic players found value in the experience, providing a rare contrast.
