Everywhere you look, fans are quick to share their selections of the top games of 2025. However, what of the flops, the underperformers? It's time to take a moment to honor the most panned games of the year, as determined by the aggregate scores from Metacritic. Are all of these games as disappointing as their scores suggest? We shall see.
10. Switch 2's Welcome Tour
Metascore: 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 expressing disappointment it wasn't a free pack-in like similar console launches. Critical opinion was quite mixed, from scathing critiques to somewhat forgiving takes that noted the polished software underneath the controversy. Regardless of the debate, the title proved to be a notable digital seller during its launch month.
9. Rennsport
Metascore: 53/100, User 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 was lacking in key areas, especially in a year filled with stellar racing titles. Ultimately, this disappointing sim was best left in the garage.
8. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
Metascore: 53/100, User Score: 8.6/10
To begin with: the awkward colon usage is a notable point of contention. This collection of 1990s-era platforming games revives a "attitude"-filled 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 surprisingly strong user score stands as a curious anomaly to the critical reception.
7. Hunter x Hunter Fighting Game
Aggregate Score: 53, User Score: 3.5
This manga-based fighting game encountered significant backlash from both reviewers and fans. It was lambasted for a limited character selection and a minimal offering of content. User reviews was particularly negative, with some stating a desire that the title's poor performance would serve as a lesson for similar releases.
6. Neptunia Riders Vs Dogoos
Aggregate Score: 51, User Score: 5.3
A part of the anime-style Hyperdimension Neptunia series, this bike-riding title tasks players with rounding up Dogoos. Critics argued that its goal to recreate a unique feel didn't land, coming across as more of a cash grab than a worthy addition to the franchise. Its short length combined with a $40 price tag raised eyebrows.
5. Captain Blood
Aggregate Score: 50, Audience Score: 5.3
This title is a curious artifact from the Xbox era, launched after years and years in legal limbo. The team behind it opted to release the game as an original product of its time, acknowledging that modern gamers might criticize its old-school mechanics. As such, many reviews concluded that the interesting history of its development was far richer than the end product.
4. Scar-Lead Salvation
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 2.4
This anime-art third-person shooter modeled after games like *Returnal* fell flat with critics. The main issues included repetitive adversaries, repetitive levels, and a snoozy narrative. A much-criticized system involving the character's attire was seen as adding nothing and took away from the game's overall experience.
3. Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator
Aggregate Score: 44, User Score: 4.9
Recall the tense surgery games of the past, then strip away the memorable characters. That, according to reviews, is pretty much *Ambulance Life*. Reviewers found the ambulance-driving sequences to be a slog, and the story's portrayal of mental health topics was criticized as being insensitive. The overall experience was deemed not very compelling.
2. Tamagotchi Plaza
Metascore: 43, Audience Score: 5.8
This departure from the classic virtual pet formula turns the franchise into a town-management title. The result, based on critics, was a dull series of basic activities that rapidly overstayed its welcome. Some reviews went so far as to declare it one of the most disappointing titles available on its platform, noting a profound lack of satisfying gameplay.
1. MindsEye
Aggregate Score: 37, Audience Score: 2.5
Arriving as a major open-world action game from a studio led by industry veterans, *MindsEye* was a catastrophic critical flop. Reviews heavily criticized its lousy combat, uninspired storytelling, and a plethora of game-breaking glitches. Many found it to be a regression compared to much older games in the action genre. Among the scathing reviews, a few of positive user reviews found fun in the experience, providing a rare contrast.
