Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their rankings of the best titles of 2025. But what about the disasters, the underperformers? We'll take a few moments to recognize the most panned games of the year, according to review aggregator 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
The early response to this tech demo were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder reviews that noted the delightful software itself. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a strong commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "more than a racing game," this driving sim from Competition Company and Teyon was met with overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in almost every category, especially in a year filled with high-quality racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing colon usage is a minor annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era mascot platformers showcases a "attitude"-filled feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were not good to begin with and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score remains a curious oddity to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighter encountered widespread disappointment from both professionals and players. It was lambasted for a small character selection and a minimal offering of gameplay modes. Fan reaction was especially harsh, with some expressing a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its goal to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the past, launched after years and years in production delays. The developers made the decision to preserve the game as an original experience of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its resurrection was far richer than the actual gameplay.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints centered on repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic surgery games of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, based on critics, was a unsatisfying series of basic activities that very soon overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster GTA-style title from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a plethora of technical problems. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Among the sea of negativity, a small handful of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, offering a rare vote of confidence.
