Everywhere you look, fans are foaming at the mouth to post their selections of the greatest games of 2025. Yet, where are the stinkers, the failures? We'll take a moment to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, as determined by the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Could each of these games truly as terrible as their scores suggest? Let's find out.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Aggregate Score: 54/100, User Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this pack-in experience were shaped by its $9.99 price tag, with many voicing frustration it wasn't a bundled game like competing console launches. Reviewer sentiment varied dramatically, from "crushing disappointment" to slightly kinder takes that noted the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the grumbling, the title proved to be a notable commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "not just a racing game," this simulation from studios in Germany and Poland received overwhelmingly poor reviews. The consensus was that the game fell short in key areas, notably in a year filled with high-quality racing titles. In the eyes of critics, this sputtering stinker was better off left on the shelf.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, Audience Score: 8.6/10
First things first: the awkward colon usage is a minor strike against it. This compilation of SNES and PS1 mascot platformers showcases a rude feline known for constant jokes. Critics observed that these games were not good in their time and have not improved with age. The notably positive user score stands as a curious anomaly to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler faced harsh criticism from both reviewers and players. It was lambasted for a thin fighter lineup and a severe lack of gameplay modes. Player sentiment was particularly negative, with some stating a wish that the title's flop would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Reviewers felt that its effort to recreate a unique gameplay loop ultimately fell flat, coming across as more of a cash grab than a substantial addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a full retail cost seemed like a bold choice.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the past, finally released after years and years in production delays. The team behind it made the decision to keep the game as an original artifact of its time, accepting that modern gamers might not appreciate its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the fascinating story of its development was far richer than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Metascore: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-art roguelike shooter inspired by games like *Returnal* disappointed with critics. Frequent criticisms included bland enemy design, samey environments, and a unengaging plot. A controversial mechanic involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and detracted from the game's enjoyment.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Metascore: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the engaging medical sims of the past, then remove the satisfying gameplay. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of its subject matter was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed largely unsatisfying.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, User Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula turns the franchise into a town-management title. The result, based on critics, was a vapid assortment of repetitive tasks that rapidly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call 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
Positioned as a blockbuster GTA-style title from a ex-Rockstar veteran's well-known figures, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews savaged its weak action, dull missions, and a host of technical problems. Many found it to be a regression compared to previous-generation games in the similar style. Among the sea of negativity, a tiny number of fans found fun in the experience, offering a lonely vote of confidence.
