Everywhere you look, gamers are quick to share their rankings of the top titles of 2025. But what about the disasters, the failures? We'll take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Is every one of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 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 expressing disappointment it wasn't a complimentary title like competing console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to more generous reviews that highlighted the charming software itself. In spite of the controversy, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from European developers garnered pretty unanimous reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, particularly in a year featuring high-quality racing games. For many, this disappointing sim was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward punctuation is a silly point of contention. This collection of retro Bubsy titles showcases a sarcastic feline known for constant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were mediocre to begin with and feel dated with age. The improbably high user score is a curious anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game faced significant backlash from both professionals and players. Issues included a limited fighter lineup and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was notably vitriolic, with some expressing a wish that the title's flop would have consequences for similar releases.
6. Neptunia 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 collecting cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its attempt to recreate a rolling-collection gameplay loop didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a substantial addition to the franchise. Its short length 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, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The team behind it opted to release the game as an authentic artifact of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might dislike its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its development was more interesting than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints included repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the engaging medical sims of the past, then take out the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula transforms the franchise into a town-management title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid collection of simple minigames that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile crime saga from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, uninspired storytelling, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Amidst the scathing reviews, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, providing a lonely contrast.
