Across the internet, gamers are eagerly sharing their lists of the greatest games of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the underperformers? We'll take a momentary detour to recognize the lowest-rated games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Professional assessment varied dramatically, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous takes that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "not just a racing game," this driving sim from European developers garnered largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game was lacking in nearly every way, especially in a year featuring excellent racing games. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was best left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward colon usage is a minor annoyance. This compilation of retro Bubsy titles features a sarcastic feline known for constant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games haven't aged well to begin with and feel dated with age. The improbably high user score is a curious anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighter was met with significant backlash from both professionals and players. Complaints centered on a small fighter lineup and a minimal offering of gameplay modes. Fan reaction was particularly harsh, with some voicing a hope that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to channel a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a cash grab than a worthy addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a premium price was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in development hell. The team behind it consciously chose to keep the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its journey was far richer than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues included repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the tense medical sims of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be monotonous, 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, User Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a town-management title. The result, per critics, was a dull collection of simple minigames that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a major crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. 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 same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a few of positive user reviews found value in the experience, serving as a lonely contrast.
