Everywhere you look, gamers are quick to share their selections of the best games of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the underperformers? Let's take a moment to recognize the most panned games of the year, based on review aggregator Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Here is the list.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Metascore: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this showcase title were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a free pack-in like some other console launches. Critical opinion spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder takes that noted the charming software itself. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "more than a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from European developers was met with largely negative reviews. Critics noted that the game was lacking in nearly every way, particularly in a year filled with high-quality racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was better off left unplayed.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the irritating punctuation is a silly annoyance. This anthology of 1990s-era mascot platformers features a sarcastic feline known for incessant hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games haven't aged well in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The improbably high user score stands as a peculiar anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired fighting game was met with significant backlash from both professionals and the dedicated community. It was lambasted for a thin character selection and a dearth of features. User reviews was particularly harsh, with some voicing a hope that the title's failure would be a warning for the developers.
6. Riders Vs Dogoos
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
Hailing from the niche Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Critics argued that its effort to mimic a rolling-collection feel ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a cash grab than a substantial addition to the franchise. Its brief runtime combined with a premium price was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a resurrected relic from the Xbox era, seeing the light of day after nearly two decades in production delays. The developers consciously chose to keep the game as an period-accurate artifact of its time, accepting that modern gamers might not appreciate its dated design. As such, many reviews noted that the interesting history of its development was more interesting than the end product.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art action game modeled after games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Common complaints included repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a unengaging plot. A particular feature involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's enjoyment.
3. Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Think of the tense medical sims of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the emergency response sections to be monotonous, and the narrative's handling of mental health topics was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula turns the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a vapid assortment of simple minigames that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, citing a dearth of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Positioned as a major open-world action game from a ex-Rockstar veteran's experienced developers, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Critics found it to be a significant step back compared to previous-generation games in the same genre. Despite the overwhelming criticism, a small handful of fans found something to enjoy in the experience, serving as a rare contrast.
