Everywhere you look, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the best releases of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the underperformers? Let's take a momentary detour to honor the most panned games of the year, based on the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games as bad as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
First impressions to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous reviews that praised the charming software underneath the controversy. In spite of the debate, the title proved to be a strong commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this driving sim from studios in Germany and Poland received largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, particularly in a year filled with high-quality racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating colon usage is a minor strike against it. This anthology of 1990s-era mascot platformers revives a "attitude"-filled feline known for non-stop jokes. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well in their time and have not improved with age. The improbably high user score is a peculiar anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based brawler faced harsh criticism from both professionals and the dedicated community. Complaints centered on a small roster of characters and a dearth of features. Player sentiment was especially vitriolic, with some voicing a wish that the title's poor performance would have consequences for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering cute monsters. Reviewers felt that its attempt to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy series entry. Its short length combined with a $40 price tag seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the Xbox era, launched after a very long time in legal limbo. The developers made the decision to keep the game as an original artifact of its time, accepting that contemporary players might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the tale of its journey was more compelling than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms centered on repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a forgettable story. A particular feature involving the character's attire was universally disliked and took away from the game's potential charm.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the tense medical sims of the past, then strip away the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the emergency response sections to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid assortment of simple minigames that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the worst titles available on its platform, citing a profound lack of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Arriving as a blockbuster open-world action game from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews savaged its weak action, dull missions, and a multitude of game-breaking glitches. 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 optimistic players found fun in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.
