Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their lists of the greatest games of 2025. Yet, where are the flops, the underperformers? We'll take a few moments to honor the most panned games of the year, as determined by the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder takes that noted the charming software itself. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "beyond a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon received largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game fell short in nearly every way, especially in a year filled with stellar racing experiences. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was best left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the awkward title grammar is a minor strike against it. This anthology of retro platforming games revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop quips. The consensus was that these games were not good to begin with and feel dated with age. The improbably high user score remains a curious contrast to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler faced significant backlash from both critics and fans. Complaints centered on a limited character selection and a severe lack of content. Player sentiment was notably negative, with some expressing a desire that the title's poor performance would be a warning for the developers.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with collecting Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its effort to recreate a rolling-collection feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a worthy Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, launched after years and years in production delays. The publishers made the decision to release the game as an authentic product of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its journey was far richer than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms included uninspired foes, monotonous stage design, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was universally disliked and took away from the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the tense surgery games of the past, then remove the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, according to critics, was a dull assortment of repetitive tasks that very soon grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile open-world action game from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a notable commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a host of game-breaking glitches. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the similar style. Among the scathing reviews, a tiny number of fans found fun in the experience, providing a rare vote of confidence.
