Everywhere you look, fans are eagerly sharing their rankings of the greatest titles of 2025. Yet, where are the disasters, the low achievers? Let's take a moment to examine the most panned games of the year, according to the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Reviewer sentiment spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder takes that highlighted the charming software itself. Regardless of the controversy, 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 Competition Company and Teyon received pretty unanimous reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, particularly in a year packed with excellent racing titles. For many, this disappointing sim was best left unplayed.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the irritating punctuation is a silly strike against it. This anthology of SNES and PS1 mascot platformers features a rude feline known for incessant jokes. Critics observed that these games were mediocre to begin with and haven't gotten better with age. The improbably high user score stands as a baffling oddity to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game encountered harsh criticism from both critics and fans. Issues included a limited roster of characters and a severe lack of content. User reviews was especially vitriolic, with some expressing a hope that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for future projects.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. The assessment was that its attempt to recreate a rolling-collection gameplay loop didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful series entry. Its 3-hour duration combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, launched after years and years in production delays. The team behind it opted to preserve the game as an original experience of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might not appreciate its retro feel. As such, many reviews noted that the fascinating story of its journey was more compelling than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Common complaints included uninspired foes, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was seen as adding nothing and undermined the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the tense medical sims of the past, then take out the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the narrative's handling of its subject matter was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, according to critics, was a dull series of basic activities that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, noting a complete absence of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster open-world action game from a studio led by industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of horrendous bugs. Several found it to be a significant step back compared to much older games in the same genre. Amidst the sea of negativity, a small handful of optimistic players found fun in the experience, offering a rare counterpoint.
