Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the best games of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the low achievers? It's time to take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this showcase title were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to somewhat forgiving reviews that noted the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland received overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in nearly every way, particularly in a year featuring excellent racing games. For many, this disappointing sim was better off left unplayed.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward title grammar is a notable point of contention. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were mediocre to begin with and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a curious oddity to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game faced widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. Complaints centered on a limited fighter lineup and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was particularly negative, with some stating a desire that the title's poor performance would have consequences for future projects.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its effort to channel a unique experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a $40 price tag raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the mid-2000s, finally released after nearly two decades in development hell. The publishers consciously chose to release the game as an authentic experience of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its development was far richer than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Frequent criticisms were uninspired foes, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and detracted from the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life: A 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 essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, and the narrative's handling of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, according to critics, was a dull assortment of basic activities that rapidly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its lousy combat, dull missions, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a few of optimistic players found value in the experience, serving as a lonely counterpoint.
