At every turn, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the best games of 2025. Yet, where are the disasters, the underperformers? Let's take a few moments to recognize the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Is every one of these games as disappointing as the reviews suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
Initial reactions to this pack-in experience were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many feeling cheesed off it wasn't a free pack-in like similar console launches. Professional assessment was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to slightly kinder takes that highlighted the delightful software itself. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "beyond a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon garnered pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game was lacking in nearly every way, particularly in a year featuring excellent racing experiences. In the eyes of critics, this underwhelming entry was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the irritating colon usage is a minor strike against it. This anthology of retro platforming games features a sarcastic feline known for constant hacky one-liners. Reviewers noted that these games were mediocre originally and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score remains a baffling contrast to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighting game faced harsh criticism from both professionals and fans. Complaints centered on a small character selection and a minimal offering of features. Player sentiment was particularly vitriolic, with some voicing a wish that the title's poor performance would be a warning for future projects.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with gathering slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a quick spin-off than a substantial series entry. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the past, finally released after nearly two decades in legal limbo. The team behind it consciously chose to preserve the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, acknowledging that today's audiences might not appreciate its dated design. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its resurrection was more interesting than the game itself.
4. Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues included repetitive adversaries, samey environments, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and detracted from the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Imagine the strategic medical sims of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is roughly *Ambulance Life*. Players found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, and the narrative's handling of mental health topics was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, User Score: 5.8
This shift away from the classic digital companion formula makes the franchise into a town-management title. The result, according to critics, was a dull series of repetitive tasks that rapidly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, noting a dearth of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Positioned as a high-profile open-world action game from a team featuring experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews heavily criticized its weak action, boring plot, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the action genre. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.
