At every turn, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the top titles of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the underperformers? Let's take a moment to honor the absolute worst games of the year, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder reviews that noted the polished software itself. In spite of the debate, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this simulation from European developers was met with pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game was lacking in nearly every way, particularly in a year featuring stellar racing games. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward colon usage is a silly point of contention. This compilation of 1990s-era Bubsy titles revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for incessant jokes. Critics observed that these games were mediocre in their time and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a curious contrast to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler was met with widespread disappointment from both critics and players. Complaints centered on a thin roster of characters and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was especially vitriolic, with some expressing a hope that the title's failure would have consequences for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to recreate a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the mid-2000s, launched after a very long time in legal limbo. The developers consciously chose to preserve the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its journey was more compelling than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms were repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the tense surgery games of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, 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
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a dull assortment of repetitive tasks that very soon overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, citing a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a major crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews savaged its weak action, dull missions, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Among the scathing reviews, a small handful of fans found value in the experience, serving as a distinct counterpoint.
