Everywhere you look, gamers are quick to share their selections of the best titles of 2025. However, what of the flops, the underperformers? We'll take a few moments to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games truly as terrible as the reviews suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like similar console launches. Reviewer sentiment was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder appraisals that noted the charming software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "beyond a racing game," this simulation from studios in Germany and Poland was met with pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, particularly in a year filled with stellar racing games. For many, this sputtering stinker was better off left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the confusing punctuation is a silly strike against it. This compilation of 1990s-era Bubsy titles revives a sarcastic feline known for constant quips. Reviewers noted that these games haven't aged well originally and feel dated with age. The notably positive user score is a baffling anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighter was met with significant backlash from both professionals and fans. Complaints centered on a thin character selection and a dearth of content. User reviews was especially negative, with some voicing a desire that the title's failure would have consequences for the developers.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting cute monsters. The assessment was that its attempt to recreate a rolling-collection experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its 3-hour duration combined with a premium price seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, finally released after years and years in production delays. The developers consciously chose to preserve the game as an original experience of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its journey was more interesting than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints included bland enemy design, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the strategic surgery games of the past, then take out the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, and the narrative's handling 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, based on critics, was a vapid collection of basic activities that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a major open-world action game from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews heavily criticized its lousy combat, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the action genre. Amidst the scathing reviews, a tiny number of fans found fun in the experience, serving as a lonely counterpoint.
