Everywhere you look, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the best games of 2025. However, what of the flops, the underperformers? Let's take a momentary detour to honor the absolute worst games of the year, as determined by the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
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 expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to more generous takes that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. Despite the controversy, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "not just a racing game," this driving sim from European developers was met with overwhelmingly poor reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game was lacking in almost every category, especially in a year featuring high-quality racing titles. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was better off left on the shelf.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the irritating punctuation is a minor annoyance. This compilation of SNES and PS1 Bubsy titles revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for constant quips. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The improbably high user score stands as a curious oddity to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game faced harsh criticism from both professionals and players. It was lambasted for a small character selection and a severe lack of gameplay modes. User reviews was especially harsh, with some voicing a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for the developers.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with rounding up cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its effort to channel a rolling-collection experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a substantial series entry. Its short length combined with a premium price seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the mid-2000s, finally released after a very long time in production delays. The team behind it made the decision to preserve the game as an original experience of its time, fully aware that today's audiences might not appreciate its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its development was far richer than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms included uninspired foes, samey environments, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the strategic surgery games of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. 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 tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, per critics, was a vapid series of basic activities that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, citing a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster crime saga from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the similar style. Despite the sea of negativity, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, serving as a rare contrast.
