Everywhere you look, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the best releases of 2025. Yet, where are the flops, the underperformers? Let's take a momentary detour to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like similar console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to more generous takes that praised the delightful software underneath the controversy. Despite the debate, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this simulation from studios in Germany and Poland received pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game fell short in key areas, particularly in a year featuring excellent racing experiences. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was advised to be left in the garage.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the confusing punctuation is a silly annoyance. This collection of SNES and PS1 Bubsy titles showcases a sarcastic feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were mediocre originally and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score stands as a curious contrast to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based brawler was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a limited roster of characters and a severe lack of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was especially negative, with some stating a hope that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Critics argued that its effort to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy series entry. Its short length combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after a very long time in production delays. The team behind it consciously chose to keep the game as an original artifact of its time, fully aware that contemporary players might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its journey was more compelling than the end product.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. The main issues centered on repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging surgery games of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences 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 minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a vapid series of basic activities that rapidly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a high-profile GTA-style title from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews savaged its poor shooting mechanics, boring plot, and a host of technical problems. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to much older games in the similar style. Among the sea of negativity, a tiny number of optimistic players found value in the experience, offering a rare contrast.
