Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their lists of the top games of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a few moments to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as the reviews suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a complimentary title like similar console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder appraisals that noted the polished software underneath the controversy. Despite the debate, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon was met with pretty unanimous reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, particularly in a year filled with excellent racing experiences. For many, this underwhelming entry was better off left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the confusing colon usage is a silly point of contention. This collection of SNES and PS1 platforming games features a sarcastic feline known for constant quips. Critics observed that these games were mediocre to begin with and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a curious contrast to the professional reviews.
7. Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game faced significant backlash from both critics and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a small roster of characters and a severe lack of content. Fan reaction was notably harsh, with some stating a hope that the title's failure would have consequences for the developers.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with rounding up cute monsters. Critics argued that its effort to channel a unique gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a substantial addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the past, finally released after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The publishers opted to preserve the game as an authentic artifact of its time, accepting that today's audiences might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the interesting history of its resurrection was more compelling than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game drawing from games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints centered on bland enemy design, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A controversial mechanic involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging surgery games of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying series of repetitive tasks that quickly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster GTA-style title from a team featuring well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a host of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the action genre. Among the sea of negativity, a small handful of fans found fun in the experience, offering a distinct vote of confidence.