At every turn, gamers are quick to share their rankings of the best releases of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the underperformers? We'll take a moment to examine the most panned games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this tech demo were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like similar console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous reviews that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland was met with largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, especially in a year packed with excellent racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this disappointing sim was better off left in the garage.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the irritating punctuation is a minor annoyance. This anthology of 1990s-era platforming games features a rude feline known for incessant jokes. The consensus was that these games were mediocre in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The improbably high user score is a curious anomaly to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler was met with harsh criticism from both critics and players. Issues included a thin character selection and a minimal offering of features. Player sentiment was notably negative, with some voicing a desire that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Critics argued that its goal to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the past, launched after years and years in legal limbo. The publishers consciously chose to release the game as an period-accurate experience of its time, acknowledging that contemporary players might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its development was far richer than the end product.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. The main issues included bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging surgery games of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the core gameplay loop to be monotonous, and the story's portrayal of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a unsatisfying collection of basic activities that very soon grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster GTA-style title from a studio led by experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews universally panned its lousy combat, boring plot, and a host of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the action genre. Amidst the sea of negativity, a few of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, serving as a lonely vote of confidence.
