Everywhere you look, fans are eagerly sharing their selections of the best releases of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the underperformers? It's time to take a moment to honor the absolute worst games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as the reviews suggest? We shall see.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this showcase title were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like similar console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder takes that noted the polished software itself. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from studios in Germany and Poland received pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game was lacking in key areas, notably in a year packed with excellent racing games. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing title grammar is a minor annoyance. This collection of SNES and PS1 platforming games features a rude feline known for constant jokes. Reviewers noted that these games were not good originally and feel dated with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a peculiar contrast to the professional reviews.
7. Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. Issues included a thin roster of characters and a minimal offering of content. Player sentiment was particularly harsh, with some expressing a wish that the title's failure would have consequences for the developers.
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 collecting cute monsters. The assessment was that its attempt to channel a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful series entry. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the past, seeing the light of day after years and years in production delays. The team behind it opted to keep the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its development was far richer than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. The main issues centered on repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was universally disliked and detracted from the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Think of the strategic 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 a slog, and the narrative's handling of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic digital companion formula turns the franchise into a shopping simulation title. The result, per critics, was a vapid series of basic activities that rapidly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the worst titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster GTA-style title from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews savaged its weak action, boring plot, and a plethora of technical problems. Several found it to be a downgrade compared to decades-old games in the similar style. Among the sea of negativity, a tiny number of positive user reviews found value in the experience, serving as a rare counterpoint.
