The Worst Games of This Year, According to Metacritic

Everywhere you look, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the best titles of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? It's time to take a momentary detour to examine the most panned games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing 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 showcase title were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a complimentary title like competing console launches. Professional assessment varied dramatically, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder takes that praised the delightful software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.

9. Rennsport

Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10

Billed as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland was met with largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, especially in a year filled with high-quality racing games. In the eyes of critics, this disappointing sim was best left on the shelf.

8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection

Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10

First things first: the irritating punctuation is a notable annoyance. This compilation of 1990s-era platforming games showcases a rude feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were mediocre originally and feel dated with age. The notably positive user score remains a peculiar contrast to the professional reviews.

7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5

This manga-based fighting game encountered harsh criticism from both critics and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a limited character selection and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was notably negative, with some voicing a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for similar releases.

6. Riders Vs Dogoos

Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3

Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Critics argued that its attempt to recreate a unique experience didn't land, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a substantial series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.

5. Captain Blood

Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3

This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, launched after years and years in legal limbo. The publishers made the decision to preserve the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, fully aware that contemporary players might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the fascinating story of its development was more compelling than the game itself.

4. Scar-Lead Salvation

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4

This anime-styled action game drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the character's attire was universally disliked and took away from the game's overall experience.

3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator

Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9

Recall the engaging surgery games of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the narrative's handling of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.

2. Tamagotchi Plaza

Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8

This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a vapid collection of simple minigames that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of engaging content.

1. MindsEye

Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5

Arriving as a major crime saga from a team featuring experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews universally panned its weak action, dull missions, and a host of technical problems. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to much older games in the action genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of positive user reviews found value in the experience, providing a distinct contrast.