At every turn, fans are eagerly sharing their rankings of the top titles of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the underperformers? It's time to take a few moments to honor the most panned games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this tech demo were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous takes that praised the polished software underneath the controversy. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game fell short in nearly every way, especially in a year featuring excellent racing experiences. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was advised to be left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward punctuation is a silly annoyance. This anthology of retro platforming games features a rude feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well originally and have not improved with age. The notably positive user score remains a peculiar contrast to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and players. Issues included a limited roster of characters and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was notably vitriolic, with some expressing a hope that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with collecting Dogoos. The assessment was that its effort to channel a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a $40 price tag raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the mid-2000s, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The team behind it opted to keep the game as an authentic experience of its time, fully aware that contemporary players might not appreciate its dated design. As such, many reviews noted that the fascinating story of its resurrection was more compelling than the actual gameplay.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. The main issues were repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the tense surgery games of the past, then take out the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the emergency response sections to be a slog, and the treatment of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a dull collection of repetitive tasks that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a major crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews heavily criticized its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of optimistic players found fun in the experience, serving as a rare contrast.
