Everywhere you look, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the top games of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the failures? It's time to take a few moments to examine the absolute worst games of the year, according to the critical consensus on Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this tech demo were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a bundled game like some other console launches. Reviewer sentiment was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder appraisals that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. Despite the debate, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland garnered pretty unanimous reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in key areas, notably in a year filled with stellar racing games. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was better off left unplayed.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the irritating title grammar is a minor annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era platforming games revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were not good in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score stands as a curious contrast to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game encountered harsh criticism from both professionals and the dedicated community. Issues included a small character selection and a dearth of features. Fan reaction was notably negative, with some voicing a desire that the title's poor performance would be a warning for the developers.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its effort to recreate a rolling-collection feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a meaningful Neptunia game. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost raised eyebrows.
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 team behind it made the decision to keep the game as an authentic product of its time, accepting that today's audiences might not appreciate its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the tale of its journey was more compelling than the game itself.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms included repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the strategic medical sims of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers 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 a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a unsatisfying collection of repetitive tasks that very soon overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster crime saga from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a notable commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a host of horrendous bugs. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to decades-old games in the similar style. Amidst the sea of negativity, a tiny number of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a rare vote of confidence.
