Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the best releases of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the low achievers? It's time to take a momentary detour to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Are all of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Here is the list.
10. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were heavily influenced by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Reviewer sentiment was quite mixed, from "crushing disappointment" to more generous takes that noted the delightful software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a strong commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon received pretty unanimous reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in almost every category, notably in a year featuring excellent racing experiences. For many, this disappointing sim was advised to be left in the garage.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating punctuation is a silly strike against it. This compilation of retro platforming games showcases a sarcastic feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. Critics observed that these games were not good in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The notably positive user score stands as a peculiar contrast to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighter faced widespread disappointment from both professionals and players. Issues included a thin character selection and a severe lack of content. Player sentiment was especially negative, with some stating a hope that the title's flop 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 motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. Reviewers felt that its effort to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab than a worthy addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a full retail cost was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the mid-2000s, seeing the light of day after a very long time in development hell. The publishers made the decision to preserve the game as an original product of its time, accepting that today's audiences might criticize its dated design. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its development was far richer than the game itself.
4. Scar-Lead
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints were repetitive adversaries, monotonous stage design, and a snoozy narrative. A controversial mechanic involving the character's attire was widely panned and detracted from the game's potential charm.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the strategic medical sims of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the treatment of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a town-management title. The result, based on critics, was a unsatisfying series of simple minigames that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of depth.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Intended to be a high-profile GTA-style title from a studio led by well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic disappointment. Reviews savaged its lousy combat, boring plot, and a host of technical problems. Many found it to be a downgrade compared to much older games in the action genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a few of optimistic players found value in the experience, offering a distinct vote of confidence.
