Everywhere you look, fans are quick to share their rankings of the best titles of 2025. However, what of the disasters, the failures? We'll take a momentary detour to recognize the absolute worst games of the year, as determined by review aggregator Metacritic. Is every one of these games as bad as the reviews suggest? We shall see.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
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 free pack-in like some other console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder takes that praised the polished software underneath the controversy. In spite of the controversy, the title proved to be a surprisingly robust seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Marketed as "beyond a racing game," this driving sim from Competition Company and Teyon garnered pretty unanimous reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game felt unfinished in almost every category, especially in a year filled with excellent racing games. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was better off left in the garage.
8. Bubsy's Purrfect Collection
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the confusing punctuation is a silly strike against it. This anthology of retro mascot platformers showcases a sarcastic feline known for constant jokes. The consensus was that these games were mediocre in their time and haven't gotten better with age. The improbably high user score is a baffling oddity to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Metascore: 53, User Score: 3.5
This anime-inspired brawler encountered widespread disappointment from both professionals and fans. It was lambasted for a thin fighter lineup and a minimal offering of gameplay modes. User reviews was especially negative, with some voicing a wish that the title's failure would be a warning for future projects.
6. Neptunia Motorcycle Game
Metascore: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up slime-like creatures. The assessment was that its effort to channel a *Katamari Damacy*-like experience was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a meaningful series entry. Its short length combined with a premium price was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Metascore: 50, User Score: 5.3
This title is a piece of lost media from the mid-2000s, seeing the light of day after a very long time in production delays. The team behind it opted to release the game as an authentic artifact of its time, fully aware that modern gamers might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews noted that the fascinating story of its development was far richer than the game itself.
4. Salvation
Metascore: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-styled third-person shooter drawing from games like *Returnal* failed to impress with critics. The main issues included uninspired foes, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A particular feature involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and detracted from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 4.9
Recall the engaging medical sims of the past, then strip away the compelling story. That, according to reviews, is essentially *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the core gameplay loop to be a slog, and the treatment of its subject matter was criticized as being poorly executed. The overall experience was deemed a missed opportunity.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula transforms the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a vapid series of basic activities that quickly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to call it one of the lowest-quality titles available on its platform, citing a dearth of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 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 catastrophic disappointment. Reviews heavily criticized its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Several found it to be a regression compared to decades-old games in the action genre. Among the scathing reviews, a tiny number of optimistic players found fun in the experience, serving as a lonely counterpoint.
