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At every turn, enthusiasts are eagerly sharing their lists of the greatest games of 2025. But what about the flops, the underperformers? It's time to take a moment to examine the absolute worst games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games truly as terrible as the reviews suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this tech demo were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a complimentary title like similar console launches. Critical opinion varied dramatically, from harsh disappointment to more generous takes that highlighted the charming software itself. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a strong seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in key areas, notably in a year packed with excellent racing titles. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was best left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing colon usage is a silly strike against it. This anthology of retro Bubsy titles features a rude feline known for incessant jokes. Critics observed that these games haven't aged well in their time and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a curious anomaly to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler faced widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. Complaints centered on a thin character selection and a minimal offering of features. Fan reaction was particularly harsh, with some expressing a wish that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. Reviewers felt that its goal to mimic a unique gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a substantial Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the past, seeing the light of day after a very long time in development hell. The developers made the decision to keep the game as an authentic artifact of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might dislike its dated design. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its resurrection was more interesting than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. The main issues were repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic medical sims of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, according to critics, was a vapid assortment of repetitive tasks that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, noting a complete absence of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a major open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a notable disappointment. Reviews savaged its weak action, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of technical problems. Several found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the similar style. Amidst the scathing reviews, a tiny number of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a lonely counterpoint.
