Everywhere you look, gamers are foaming at the mouth to post their rankings of the best releases of 2025. But what about the stinkers, the underperformers? We'll take a momentary detour to recognize the most panned games of the year, according to review aggregator Metacritic. Could each of these games as bad as the ratings suggest? Let's find out.
10. Welcome Tour for Switch 2
Aggregate Score: 54/100, Audience Score: 3.4/10
The early response to this showcase title were colored by its $9.99 price tag, with many expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like competing console launches. Professional assessment spanned a wide spectrum, from harsh disappointment to slightly kinder takes that noted the polished software underneath the controversy. In spite of the grumbling, the title proved to be a strong commercial performer during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Aggregate Score: 53/100, User Score: 3.2/10
Presented as "not just a racing game," this vroom-vroom title from Competition Company and Teyon received largely negative reviews. Reviews pointed out that the game was lacking in nearly every way, especially in a year filled with high-quality racing experiences. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was best left unplayed.
8. The Purrfect Bubsy Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
Before we start: the irritating title grammar is a silly strike against it. This anthology of 1990s-era platforming games features a rude feline known for non-stop hacky one-liners. The consensus was that these games were mediocre originally and haven't gotten better with age. The surprisingly strong user score is a peculiar anomaly to the professional reviews.
7. Nen x Impact
Aggregate Score: 53, Audience Score: 3.5
This *Hunter x Hunter* brawler was met with significant backlash from both reviewers and the dedicated community. Issues included a thin roster of characters and a dearth of content. Fan reaction was especially harsh, with some expressing a desire that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for the developers.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the quirky Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this vehicle combat game tasks players with collecting Dogoos. The assessment was that its attempt to mimic a *Katamari Damacy*-like gameplay loop was unsuccessful, coming across as more of a low-effort product than a worthy addition to the franchise. Its 3-hour duration combined with a full retail cost was criticized.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the mid-2000s, launched after years and years in development hell. The team behind it consciously chose to preserve the game as an period-accurate product of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might dislike its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews remarked that the interesting history of its journey was more interesting than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead
Aggregate Score: 44, Audience Score: 2.4
This anime-styled roguelike shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. Common complaints centered on bland enemy design, monotonous stage design, and a forgettable story. A much-criticized system involving the outfit degradation was widely panned and undermined the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Imagine the engaging surgery games of the past, then take out the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Players found the ambulance-driving sequences to be tedious and repetitive, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being tone-deaf. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Aggregate Score: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This new direction for the classic virtual pet formula makes the franchise into a minigame collection title. The result, per critics, was a dull assortment of repetitive tasks that quickly grew tiresome. Some reviews went so far as to label it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, pointing to a profound lack of depth.
1. MindsEye
Metascore: 37, User Score: 2.5
Intended to be a blockbuster GTA-style title from a team featuring industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a spectacular commercial failure. Reviews universally panned its poor shooting mechanics, dull missions, and a host of technical problems. Critics found it to be a downgrade compared to much older games in the similar style. Among the overwhelming criticism, a tiny number of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, offering a lonely counterpoint.
