Across the internet, enthusiasts are quick to share their selections of the top games of 2025. However, what of the stinkers, the low achievers? Let's take a few moments to recognize the most panned games of the year, according to the critical consensus on Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
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 expressing disappointment it wasn't a bundled game like some other console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to somewhat forgiving appraisals that praised the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon was met with largely negative reviews. The consensus was that the game felt unfinished in key areas, especially in a year filled with high-quality racing games. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was better off left unplayed.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward punctuation is a minor point of contention. This anthology of retro mascot platformers features a sarcastic feline known for incessant jokes. Reviewers noted 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 anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* fighter was met with widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. It was lambasted for a small character selection and a dearth of content. Player sentiment was especially negative, with some expressing a wish that the title's failure would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
Hailing from the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting Dogoos. The assessment was that its effort to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel didn't land, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the mid-2000s, launched after a very long time in production delays. The team behind it made the decision to preserve the game as an original experience of its time, accepting that contemporary players might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its journey was more interesting than the game itself.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues were bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the tense medical sims of the past, then take out the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, based on critics, was a unsatisfying series of simple minigames that very soon overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, noting a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster GTA-style title from a ex-Rockstar veteran's industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a notable commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its weak action, dull missions, and a multitude of technical problems. Critics found it to be a downgrade compared to previous-generation games in the action genre. Among the sea of negativity, a small handful of fans found fun in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.
