Everywhere you look, enthusiasts are quick to share their lists of the best titles of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the underperformers? We'll take a moment to honor the lowest-rated games of the year, based on the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 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 feeling cheesed off it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Critical opinion varied dramatically, from harsh disappointment to more generous reviews that praised the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the controversy, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon garnered overwhelmingly poor reviews. Critics noted that the game felt unfinished in nearly every way, especially in a year featuring high-quality racing experiences. For many, this sputtering stinker was advised to be left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the confusing punctuation is a notable strike against it. This anthology of 1990s-era platforming games showcases a "attitude"-filled feline known for constant quips. Critics observed that these games were mediocre originally and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score stands as a baffling contrast to the Metascore.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game faced harsh criticism from both reviewers and players. Issues included a limited roster of characters and a minimal offering of gameplay modes. User reviews was notably vitriolic, with some voicing a wish that the title's poor performance would be a warning for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, Audience Score: 5.3
Based on the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this motorcycle action game tasks players with collecting cute monsters. The assessment was that its goal to recreate a *Katamari Damacy*-like feel was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a full retail cost seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the past, launched after years and years in legal limbo. The developers consciously chose to keep the game as an authentic artifact of its time, accepting that modern gamers might not appreciate its retro feel. As such, many reviews noted that the fascinating story of its journey was more compelling than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints included uninspired foes, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A much-criticized system involving the protagonist's clothing was widely panned and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the strategic medical sims of the past, then remove the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Critics found the ambulance-driving sequences to be monotonous, and the narrative's handling of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a town-management title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid assortment of simple minigames that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the worst titles available on its platform, noting a profound lack of engaging content.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster GTA-style title from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a spectacular critical flop. Reviews universally panned its lousy combat, boring plot, and a plethora of horrendous bugs. Critics found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Among the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, serving as a lonely contrast.
