Across the internet, enthusiasts are quick to share their lists of the top games of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the underperformers? It's time to take a momentary detour to honor the most panned games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous takes that highlighted the delightful software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers garnered largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game was lacking in almost every category, especially in a year featuring stellar racing games. Ultimately, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the awkward punctuation is a notable strike against it. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games showcases a "attitude"-filled feline known for constant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games haven't aged well originally and feel dated with age. The improbably high user score remains a curious anomaly to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighting game was met with significant backlash from both professionals and fans. It was lambasted for a limited fighter lineup and a severe lack of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was especially negative, with some expressing a hope that the title's flop would be a warning for similar releases.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its goal to mimic a rolling-collection feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the past, launched after years and years in legal limbo. The publishers consciously chose to release the game as an period-accurate experience of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its journey was more compelling than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Common complaints were uninspired foes, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic surgery games of the past, then take out the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, and the narrative's handling of its subject matter was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid assortment of simple minigames that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster GTA-style title from a studio led by experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews savaged its weak action, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of technical problems. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Among the sea of negativity, a tiny number of optimistic players found value in the experience, offering a lonely contrast.
