Everywhere you look, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the greatest games of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the failures? We'll take a moment to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as their scores suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder reviews that highlighted the polished software underneath the controversy. Despite the controversy, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "more than a racing game," this simulation from studios in Germany and Poland was met with overwhelmingly poor reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in key areas, especially in a year filled with high-quality racing experiences. For many, this sputtering stinker was best left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward title grammar is a silly point of contention. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games features a rude feline known for constant quips. Reviewers noted that these games were not good to begin with and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a peculiar anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired brawler encountered widespread disappointment from both reviewers and players. Issues included a small fighter lineup and a severe lack of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was notably negative, with some expressing a desire that the title's flop would be a warning for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its attempt to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like experience ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the past, seeing the light of day after a very long time in production delays. The developers opted to keep the game as an authentic product of its time, fully aware that today's audiences might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its journey was far richer than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A particular feature involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the tense medical sims of the past, then remove the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be tedious and repetitive, and the narrative's handling of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying series of basic activities that rapidly became boring. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a complete absence of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a blockbuster open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a notable critical flop. Reviews savaged its weak action, dull missions, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the similar style. Despite the overwhelming criticism, a few of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, serving as a rare vote of confidence.
