Everywhere you look, gamers are eagerly sharing their lists of the best games of 2025. But what about the stinkers, the failures? It's time to take a few moments to examine the absolute worst games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, Audience 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 competing console launches. Critical opinion varied dramatically, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder takes that highlighted the charming software itself. Despite the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland received largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in key areas, especially in a year filled with high-quality racing games. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was best left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating title grammar is a minor point of contention. This anthology of 1990s-era platforming games revives a sarcastic feline known for incessant quips. Reviewers noted that these games were mediocre originally and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a baffling anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighting game was met with widespread disappointment from both reviewers and fans. It was lambasted for a thin roster of characters and a severe lack of features. Player sentiment was notably harsh, with some expressing a hope that the title's flop would be a warning for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. Reviewers felt that its goal to recreate a rolling-collection experience didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its short length combined with a premium price was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, launched after years and years in development hell. The developers opted to keep the game as an original product of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might dislike its dated design. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its journey was more compelling than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues included uninspired foes, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A controversial mechanic involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's potential charm.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging medical sims of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the treatment of serious themes was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience 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 vapid series of basic activities that very soon grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a high-profile GTA-style title from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a notable critical flop. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Among the sea of negativity, a small handful of fans found fun in the experience, offering a lonely contrast.
