Across the internet, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the greatest games of 2025. But what about the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a moment to honor the most panned games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this tech demo were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to somewhat forgiving appraisals that highlighted the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this driving sim from Competition Company and Teyon was met with largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game fell short in nearly every way, particularly in a year featuring high-quality racing games. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was advised to be left in the garage.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the awkward colon usage is a minor point of contention. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games showcases a sarcastic feline known for constant hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were not good to begin with and have not improved with age. The notably positive user score stands as a baffling contrast to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired brawler encountered significant backlash from both professionals and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a thin character selection and a dearth of content. Fan reaction was particularly vitriolic, with some voicing a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. Critics argued that its attempt to mimic a rolling-collection experience didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy Neptunia game. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in production delays. The team behind it consciously chose to keep the game as an authentic product of its time, acknowledging that contemporary players might criticize its retro feel. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its journey was far richer than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints centered on repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging surgery games of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
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, per critics, was a unsatisfying assortment of basic activities that rapidly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a high-profile open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a host of game-breaking glitches. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the scathing reviews, a small handful of optimistic players found value in the experience, providing a rare vote of confidence.
