Across the internet, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their lists of the top titles of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the failures? We'll take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as their scores suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
First impressions 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 similar console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from scathing critiques to more generous appraisals that noted the polished software underneath the controversy. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Billed as "not just a racing game," this simulation from Competition Company and Teyon received overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in almost every category, notably in a year filled with high-quality racing games. Ultimately, this underwhelming entry was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the confusing colon usage is a minor annoyance. This collection of 1990s-era Bubsy titles features a "attitude"-filled feline known for incessant jokes. Critics observed that these games were not good in their time and have not improved with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a baffling anomaly to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighter was met with significant backlash from both critics and players. Complaints centered on a small fighter lineup and a severe lack of features. Fan reaction was notably vitriolic, with some expressing a desire that the title's poor performance would have consequences for the developers.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its goal to channel a rolling-collection feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a cash grab 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 resurrected relic from the past, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in development hell. The publishers consciously chose to release the game as an authentic artifact of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the tale of its journey was far richer than the actual gameplay.
4. Scar-Lead
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. Frequent criticisms were bland enemy design, samey environments, and a forgettable story. A particular feature involving the character's attire was widely panned and detracted from the game's potential charm.
3. Paramedic Simulator
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 pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the treatment of serious themes was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, based on critics, was a dull series of simple minigames that rapidly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, pointing to a complete absence of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a major open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular disappointment. Reviews heavily criticized its lousy combat, boring plot, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Several found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a few of optimistic players found fun in the experience, providing a lonely contrast.
