Everywhere you look, fans are quick to share their selections of the greatest releases of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the low achievers? It's time to take a moment to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Critical opinion varied dramatically, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder appraisals that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. Despite the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "beyond a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon was met with overwhelmingly poor reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game was lacking in nearly every way, particularly in a year packed with stellar racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the confusing punctuation is a silly strike against it. This compilation of SNES and PS1 Bubsy titles revives a sarcastic feline known for incessant jokes. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score remains a curious oddity to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based brawler was met with widespread disappointment from both critics and fans. Complaints centered on a small roster of characters and a dearth of content. User reviews was especially harsh, with some expressing a wish that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for the developers.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its attempt to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a worthy series entry. Its short length combined with a full retail cost was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the mid-2000s, seeing the light of day after a very long time in development hell. The developers opted to keep the game as an original artifact of its time, fully aware that today's audiences might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its development was far richer than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Common complaints were uninspired foes, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's enjoyment.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging medical sims of the past, then remove the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying series of basic activities that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a high-profile crime saga from a studio led by experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews universally panned its lousy combat, dull missions, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the same genre. Amidst the scathing reviews, a small handful of fans found fun in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.
