Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the best releases of 2025. But what about the flops, the underperformers? Let's take a momentary detour to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to more generous takes that highlighted the polished software itself. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a notable 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 overwhelmingly poor reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, especially in a year featuring high-quality racing games. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was advised to be left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing colon usage is a silly strike against it. This collection of retro platforming games features a rude feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were mediocre in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The improbably high user score remains a peculiar contrast to the Metascore.
7. Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighter encountered widespread disappointment from both reviewers and players. Complaints centered on a small character selection and a severe lack of content. User reviews was notably harsh, with some stating a wish that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for the developers.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with gathering cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its attempt to channel a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a premium price seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the past, launched after a very long time in development hell. The team behind it opted to preserve the game as an authentic experience of its time, acknowledging that contemporary players might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the fascinating story of its resurrection was far richer than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled action game inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues centered on uninspired foes, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A particular feature involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the engaging surgery games of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. 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 poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a dull series of basic activities that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a dearth of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a blockbuster open-world action game from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, uninspired storytelling, and a multitude of technical problems. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Amidst the scathing reviews, a small handful of positive user reviews found something to enjoy in the experience, providing a distinct contrast.
